Preferential treatment for legislators, their families and supporters, especially break darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, is to be discussed at the February 8 meeting of the TTD Board.
There is a strong difference of opinion among officials and politicians over allowing preferential treatment to politicians in Tirumala, especially break darshan and tickets for important occasions, for which other devotees have to stand in queues for hours.
One proposal is to limit the number of letters that a legislator can issue to his supporters which allows them preferential treatment, and to centralise the same from the Assembly. However, politicians refuse to accept this.
The issue had come up in a recent TTD board meeting which was chaired by Mr Bapi Raju and attended by executive officer, Mr L.V. Subrahmanyam and others.
Sources said that while the chairman is backing the legislators, board officials are worried about the fallout of a decision to favour politicians and their hangers-on to this degree.
“If 294 MLAs, 90 MLCs, 42 Lok Sabha MPs, 18 Rajya Sabha MPs issue five letters per day, the number of VIPs will swell to 2,220. Add five family members along with them, and the number will be 11,100. How can this be justified at the cost of the common man,” reasons an official.
TTD executive officer, Mr L.V. Subramanyam said special facilities would be provided to legislators and their families as per the protocol but the same may not be possible for those carrying letters issued by legislators.
“Everyone is equal before the Lord. We are trying our best to provide facilities to all,” he said.
The TTD board will meet on February 8 to review the status of facilities and processing of personal visits and also recommendations of politicians who were given preference in 17 and 25th compartments in the VQC-1 complex, an official said.
Other devotees who have to wait in long queues have been protesting the preferential treatment, but it seems no one is listening.