Former chief priest of Lord Venkateshwara temple on Tirumala A V Ramana Deekshitulu, who had been targeting the authorities in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for quite some time, seems to back in reckoning in the temple.
Apparently, Deekshitulu has regained his glory after the transfer of senior IAS officer Anil Kumar Singhal from the post of TTD executive officer recently.
Singhal was replaced by another senior officer K S Jawahar Reddy, who is said to be sympathetic towards Deekshitulu.
Deekshitulu had been lying low for the last one year even after given the post of honourary head priest in the temple, because he wanted his previous post back as part of restoration of hereditary priest status.
Since Singhal was not keen to accord him the status, Deekshitulu started targeting the TTD authorities. He did not even spare TTD trust board chairman Y V Subba Reddy for ignoring his suggestions as Agama advisor.
Now that Singhal is out, Ramana Deekshitulu appears to be back in the main rituals of the temple. He is said to be playing a key role in the ongoing Brahmotsavams on the occasion of Dasara Navaratri festivities.
He is supervising all the arrangements for the rituals to be performed during the Brahmotsavams.
In view of Covid-19 pandemic, Deekshitulu said the main services for the Lord would be performed within the temple and no devotee would be allowed to witness the same.
Explaining his low profile all these days, Ramana Deekshitulu said since he was becoming old, the doctors had advised him not to come out frequently in view of the pandemic.