Bhumana back as TTD chief, to assume office next week

TIRUPATI: Tirupati YSRC MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has been appointed as the chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust board for the second time. The decision was announced on Saturday.

Karunakar Reddy, who had served in the post from 2006 to 2008, now succeeds Y.V. Subba Reddy, whose term ends on Tuesday. Karunakar Reddy is expected to take oath and assume office next week.

Born in Eedarapalli village in Nandalur mandal, Kadapa district, Karunakar Reddy, a two-time MLA from here, completed his MA in arts from Sri Venkateswara University in Tirupati.

A staunch loyalist of Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, sources indicated that Karunakar Reddy is considering retirement from active politics and has no intention of contesting the 2024 general election. Instead, he is reportedly seeking a party ticket for his son, Bhumana Abhinay Reddy, who is currently serving as deputy mayor of Tirupati municipal corporation.

Meanwhile, there were several contenders for the TTD chairman’s post, including Janga Krishnamurthy, Kolusu Parthasarathy and Sidda Raghava Rao. However, the Chief Minister’s last-minute decision to nominate Karunakar Reddy caught many by surprise.