After spearheading the agitation over Babhli and other “illegal” irrigation projects by neighbouring Maharashtra on river Godavari, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is now gearing up to launch a “save the temples” campaign.
The TDP chief will launch the campaign to protect the temples of the state and restore the sanctity of Tirumala, the world-famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara.
The former Andhra chief minister will reach Tirupati on August 7 and lead a “dharna” with more than 20,000 TDP workers in front of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administrative office in the town.
Later, Mr Naidu and a group of senior party leaders will take the pedestrian path from Alipiri, the foot of the hills, to the Tirumala hill shrine where they will worship the Lord seeking to “cleanse the corrupt TTD administration”.
“I will be trekking the Tirumala hills after a long gap of over 35 years. I went up the hills by foot when I was a student,” Mr Chandrababu told PTI.
“In the last six years, ever since the Congress came to power, the sanctity of the world-famous hill shrine has been totally eroded. The TTD administration is steeped in unprecedented corruption. The religious sentiments of crores of devotees of Lord Venkateswara have been badly hurt by the way the temple affairs are run under the current administration,” the TDP chief alleged.
He wants the state government to immediately disband the TTD Trust Board, headed by liquor baron D.K. Audikesavulu Naidu, and appoint a new apolitical board in its place.