VIJAYAWADA: In a significant development, former chief priest of Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala met YSR Congress (YSRC) chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday.He told a news channel that purpose of the meeting was to seek the help of the Leader of the Opposition in getting justice for the hereditary priests of Tirumala temple who were left high and dry by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). “We met him to seek his help in finding solution to our problems,” he said.
When his attention was drawn to TTD Board and TDP accusing him of playing politics, the former chief priest shot back, “Sir, those who are hungry do not look at who is giving them food. They are bothered about only satisfying their hunger. We shall salute those who satisfy our hunger and seek them out,” he said.
He alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu did not even bother to listen to their grievances. “We have visited Vijayawada several times to meet him. He even asked us to come to Vijayawada, but did not give appointment. We will go to those who listen to our problems,” he said.Asked about allegations levelled against him that he had met BJP leaders in Delhi and YSRC in Hyderabad without bothering to discuss the issues at Tirumala, Ramana Dekshitulu said, “What politics? All we want is the solution to our problems. Let the Chief Minister address them. We will put his portrait in our house and worship him. All I want is to serve Lord Venkateswara peacefully.”
Maintaining that he would stand by what he had said earlier, he said it is his hereditary duty to serve the Lord and safeguard His assets. He said he has been fighting to protect the jewels of the Lord for the last two-and-a-half decades and will continue to do so. He said Jaganmohan Reddy had assured him of help.
Reacting to the meeting between ousted TTD chief priest AV Ramana Deekshitulu and YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy in Hyderabad, Naidu said another ‘conspiracy is in the making’. Minutes after the closed-door discussions between Ramana Deekshitulu and Jagan, Chandrababu Naidu said the Opposition parties had tried to use the TTD and Lord Venkateswara to defame him.
“Today’s development (with the meeting between the duo) is another conspiracy against us,’’ he alleged.Naidu alleged that the Centre had tried to take control of Tirumala but his government foiled the attempts.“As a staunch disciple of Lord Venkateswara, I will not commit any mistakes and I will stand for sanctity of the sacred hill shrine of Tirumala,’’ he said.