TTD to have new executive officer very soon

Tirupati : Ahead of the TDP-led government taking charge in the state, speculation is rife over the transfers of various key officials. Now the focus on who will take charge of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) affairs as its executive officer with several names are doing rounds. Prominent among them was KS Srinivasa Raju who recently reported to the AP government as Principal Secretary as his deputation period in Telangana was completed.

TTD has not had a regular Executive Officer for over two years now since EO Dr KS Jawahar Reddy was transferred as CM’s special chief secretary in May 2022. Since then, additional EO A V Dharma Reddy was given full additional charge of EO. Apart from various controversies surrounding him now, Dharma Reddy is due to retire from service on attaining superannuation on June 30.

After the YSRCP government assumed power in 2019, he was brought to AP from central services and appointed him first as JEO and later promoted as additional EO. His deputation term was extended twice so far on the request of the YSRCP government.

It was felt that he would continue as EO till June 30, had YSRCP been voted into power again. But, since the NDA government is going to take over the reins of administration, the change of guard at TTD becomes a certainty.

Now the focus has been shifted towards Srinivasa Raju who worked as Tirumala JEO for almost eight years from 2011 to 2019. The name is being widely speculated now though a few other senior IAS officers too have eyed the post. It is expected that the new government will take a decision in this regard in the next couple of days.

The state government has to appoint a new Trust Board for TTD. The former Chairman of the Trust Board Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has resigned on the counting day itself. But there is a view that the Chandrababu Naidu government will take some time to appoint the trust board as he has to complete the exercise of choosing the new chairman.

Before that, a specified authority may be appointed with three or more members consisting of bureaucrats to take important decisions.

Meanwhile, several names are circulated in the social media as the next chairman of TTD. In view of the importance of the post, the government may weigh various pros and cons before choosing the right person. While Jana Sena Party general secretary K Nagendra Babu’s name was circulated on Thursday, he issued a statement that he is not in the race.

Now, the names of former central minister and TDP senior leader P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, TDP leader S V S N Varma and the chairman of a vernacular Telugu channel are said to be under consideration along with one or two other names. Even the aspirants list to become TTD Board members will be too long as MPs and MLAs may also put pressure.