Karunakar Reddy renews call for TTD chairman’s resignation, cites ‘new evidence’

YSR Congress Party combined Chittoor district president and former MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has once again demanded the resignation of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board Chairman B. R. Naidu following the circulation of an alleged sleaze video on social media reportedly involving him.

A day after Mr. Naidu reacted strongly before the Tirupati media and warned that those indulging in a smear campaign would face consequences, Mr. Karunakar Reddy addressed the media again on Monday, claiming he had further evidence to substantiate his allegations.

Mr. Karunakar Reddy, who earlier served as Chairman of the TTD Trust Board and has been engaged in a prolonged war of words with Mr. B. R. Naidu over administrative and political issues related to the temple body, released a letter purportedly written by the woman seen in the video.

According to Mr. Reddy, the letter was written ahead of the general elections and addressed to TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu, party general secretary Nara Lokesh and Jana Sena Party president K. Pawan Kalyan.

Reading out portions of the letter to the media, Mr. Reddy said it detailed the alleged harassment faced by the woman from her live-in partner and urged Mr. Naidu not to consider Mr. B. R. Naidu for key positions such as TTD Chairman or Rajya Sabha member in the event of coming to power.

“Is it unreasonable to expect probity in public life from B. R. Naidu, particularly when he heads a religious institution like the TTD?” Mr. Karunakar Reddy asked. Dismissing the warning of legal action, he asserted that he would not be intimidated by what he termed hollow threats as long as the facts were in the public domain.