Srikalahasti temple has no trust board for 5 years

Tirupati: Srikalahasteeswara Devasthanam is getting ready for another Maha Sivaratri brahmotsavams without the trust board in place for the fifth time in a row. Though the government appointed B Beerendra Varma of Satyavedu constituency as its chairman last year, the GO was not issued following a strong opposition from the ruling party leaders in Srikalahasti.

After the term of the trust board expired in September 2017, no new board has been appointed for all these years. At last, the government appointed the chairman in July 2021 which generated much heat among YSRCP cadres in Srikalahasti. MLA B Madhusudan Reddy was said to have expressed his displeasure over appointing outsider as the chairman as he preferred one of his trusted lieutenants for the post.

All the former chairmen hailed from Srikalahasti Assembly constituency only. Following the controversy, the government has kept the decision in abeyance and neither the new name was announced. At the time of appointing TTD trust board last year, Beerendra Varma was appointed as one of the special invitees to it. However, that GO was struck down by the AP High Court.

With this it became clear that he will be given another post and some leader from Srikalahasti will become Devasthanam trust board chairman. Still the aspirants are eagerly waiting for a chance. After the government constituted Srisailam devasthanam trust board a couple of days back, everyone thought that Srikalahasti devasthanam also will get the new board which can take charge before the brahmotsavams to begin on February 24, but the wait continues.

Having no trust board to monitor the management of the temple with around Rs 120 crore annual budget is drawing criticism from several leaders. In the absence of the board, endowments department and temple management have been taking the decisions and during the Covid times, such decisions often become controversial.

There are allegations of irregularities in procurement of puja material to be supplied to devotees of various sevas, appointments of some workers and other things. Congress leader P Naveen Kumar Reddy demanded a white paper on the budgetary details of the Devasthanam.

He wanted transparency in the donations being given by devotees and sought the appointment of a trust board immediately to provide better amenities during the festival.