Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 13 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday hit out at the former YSRCP government for commercializing the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam during his visit to the temple after taking oath on Wednesday.
"They have commercialized the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam). Once you're on hill top, you should feel pure, prasadam should be neat, and rates shouldn't be increased. Darshan tickets shouldn't be sold in the black market," Naidu said speaking to reporters on Thursday.
Accusing the former government of turning the holy place into a center for marijuana, liquor and non-vegetarian food, Naidu said, "They have turned this place to worst, they have made it a center for marijuana, liquor and non-veg."
The Chief Minister also questioned the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for allocating posts as per his wishes and influencing court cases.
"Will you sell Venkateshwara Swamy for your benefit? You give posts as per your wishes! You give posts to influence your court cases!" Naidu said.
The Chief Minister offered prayers at Tirupati Balaji temple in Tirumala on Thursday morning along with his family.
CM Naidu reached Tirumala on Wednesday evening, where he received a warm welcome from the temple authorities.
During the visit, the Chief Minister was accompanied by his wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari, son and state minister Nara Lokesh, Lokesh's wife Nara Brahmani, and their son Devansh.
People in huge numbers were pictured outside the Tirumala temple upon the arrival of the Chief Minister.
Naidu was sworn in as the 18th CM of Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at an event in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
The 24-member cabinet also took the oath of office on Wednesday along with the Chief Minister. This includes MLAs of the Telugu Desam Party, Janasena Party and BJP. Andhra Governor S Abdul Nazeer administered the oath of office to ministers.
This is the fourth time that Naidu is assuming charge as Andhra Chief Minister and the second time after the bi-furcation in 2014. Naidu became chief minister first in 1995, before the Andhra bifurcation and he led the state until 2004 for nine consecutive years. The TDP supremo returned as the chief minister of the bifurcated Andhra in 2014 and served until 2019.
Naidu had led the TDP- BJP-Janasena National Democratic Alliance to a landslide victory in the Assembly as well as parliamentary elections.
TDP holds the majority in Andhra Pradesh's 175-member assembly with 135 MLAs, while its allies, the Janasena Party, has 21 and BJP has eight. The opposition YSR Congress Party was confined to 11. (ANI)
