As Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is undertaking a lot of exercise in filling up the nominated posts in the state, speculations over the new chairman for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) continue to do rounds on social media.
Already several names of high profile people have come into circulation for the prestigious TTD chairman post, including film personalities with political affiliations such as M Murali Mohan, C Ashwini Dutt, K Raghavendra Rao and Naga Babu.
Very recently, the name of B R Naidu, chairman of prominent television channel - TV5, came up for discussion and there were reports from within the TDP that the chief minister has almost finalised his name.
But going by the latest reports, the TDP chief is considering the name of former chief justice of India N V Ramana for the TTD chairman post. An ardent devotee of Lord Venkateshwara of Tirumala, Ramana is learnt to have made a request to Naidu to consider his name for the prestigious post.
Ramana, who had worked for the TDP in his early days of his legal career, was very close to Naidu. Having been from the same caste, Ramana also had helped Naidu in various legal issues during his stint in the Supreme Court.
So, the chief minister might have to oblige the request of Ramana for the appointment as the TTD chief. But sources said if it happens, the former CJI would lose his reputation as a legal luminary and might have to carry the “yellow tag” all through his life.
Already, the YSRCP had accused Ramana and his family of getting benefits from the previous TDP government in the purchase of lands in Amaravati. If he is now given the TTD chairman post, it will lend credence to the YSRCP allegations, sources said.
