17-07-2025
All eyes on Srikalahasti Devasthanam chairman post
Tirupati: The appointment of the chairman for the Srikalahasti Devasthanam Trust Board, which has been lying vacant since March 2024, has emerged as a flashpoint of political competition within the ruling NDA alliance, as key leaders intensify efforts to secure control over the influential temple body.
Despite assuming office in June 2024, the NDA coalition has left the temple post unfilled for over a year, even as several nominated positions across the state were swiftly occupied. With mounting pressure from alliance partners and local party units, sources say the government is now poised to finalise the appointment, possibly in the next couple of days.
TDP leader Rangineni Chenchaiah Naidu of Yerpedu mandal has emerged as the frontrunner, backed firmly by Srikalahasti MLA Bojjala Sudhir Reddy. A former Market Committee chairman and longstanding TDP loyalist, Chenchaiah is also closely associated with the Bojjala political family. During the YSRCP government, he reportedly faced political harassment, including multiple police cases.
While the BJP and Jana Sena initially sought to stake a claim, their prospects appear to have waned. BJP state secretary Kola Anand, who once held the same post under the Congress government led by Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, is said to be lobbying for the position either for himself or a close relative. However, the BJP's case reportedly lacks momentum in the current equation.
Jana Sena's bid effectively collapsed following the arrest of former constituency in-charge K Vinutha and her husband in a murder case. Although Vinutha had proposed a nominee from her family earlier, her expulsion from the party closed all avenues in this regard. Intra-party competition within TDP has also surfaced. Senior leaders Reddyvari Gurava Reddy and Dasharadhachari have directly conveyed their interest to the party high command. Former MLA S C V Naidu has reportedly been lobbying for the candidature of S Praveen, son of ex-legislator Satravada Muniramaiah.
Amid competing claims, the NDA leadership is believed to have conducted an IVRS-based public and cadre opinion survey in the Srikalahasti constituency to assess local sentiment and narrow down options. The feedback from this exercise is expected to be a key factor in the final decision and it is widely speculated that the party high command will tilt in favour of MLA's recommendation paving the way for Chenchaiah Naidu. Obviously, it was under his watch, the temple is said to have witnessed greater administrative order after a period of instability in recent years.
The political weight of the post is underscored by the significance of the temple itself. As one of the six Category-C temples in the State, Srikalahasti sees a daily footfall of thousands and generates over Rs 1 crore in daily revenues. The chairman wields considerable influence over appointments, contracts, and temple development works, making the role a powerful position in both religious and political terms.
