Naidu to protect sanctity of Tirumala

Tirumala: Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is set take over as chief minister of the residuary State shortly, said here on Monday that he would focus on maintaining sanctity of the temple of Lord Venkateswara. He would ensure that there was only ‘Govinda Namasmaranam’ in the town.

Naidu, who had the Lord’s darshan along with wife Bhuvaneswari and son Lokesh during his first visit to the town after the TDP’s resounding victory in the Assembly elections, told the media that there was a need to rebuild Seemandhra along with its foundation. He said he had prayed to the Lord to give power enabling him to ensure development of both Telangana and Seemandhra.

Naidu entered the temple through the Vaikuntham queue complex along with Bhuvaneswari, Lokesh and party aides. He was accorded warm welcome by TTD chairman K Bapiraju, Executive Office M G Gopal, JEO K S Sreenivasa Raju and others. Vedic pundits blessed him. The TTD chairman presented him ‘prasadam’. The Vigilance officials stopped Tamballapalle MLA-elect Sankar at the queue complex, even as he came with Naidu for the darshan. Vigilance officer Mallikarjuna ignored his pleas to allow into the temple.

TTD OSD Damodar convinced the official and took the leader inside. Meanwhile, when the TDP chief’s convoy was moving to Tirumala from the airport a wheel of a bullet-proof escort car broke, leading to its crash into a ghat road wall. This caused anxiety among officials. None travelling in the vehicle was injured. Naidu landed at the Renigunta airport in a special plane after leaving Hyderabad at 4.50 am.