Row over sale of darshan tickets in black market

 Tirupati: The issue of black marketing Srivari darshan tickets has turned into a political conflict between the ruling TD government and BJP. Local BJP leaders were given instructions by the state leadership to choke the state government in tickets scam. City saffron leaders have launched series of agitations against the TD government for its failure in curbing the black marketing of protocol darshan tickets.

The BJP leaders took up the issue of TTD vigilance sleuths nabbing 13 brokers on September 27, on the charges of black marketing darshan tickets. They alleged that all the brokers on that day have entered Vaikuntam Queue Complex-1 along with devotees to provide the darshan to them on the basis of list 1 and list 2 political recommendation tickets after collecting hefty amounts. 

On that day, vigilance staff had found that more than 40 protocol tickets were sold in black market with high price. So far, TTD officially did not disclose the names of brokers, who were nabbed. According to sources, few brokers have close relations with some ruling TDP leaders and with their recommendation letters only, brokers have been selling darshan tickets in black market for thousands of rupees.

It is learnt that the list of black-marketing brokers was already sent to TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal. Few days ago, BJP state secretary G Bhanu Prakash Reddy and local party leaders met Urban SP Abhishek Mohanty and submitted a complaint seeking the criminal action against black-marketing brokers. 

On Wednesday, the BJP functionaries staged a dharna in front of the TTD Administrative Building in Tirupati, to take action against the Tirumala JEO office personnel and few CMO office staff at Vijayawada on the charges of involvement in black marketing of darshan tickets.

Bhanu Prakash Reddy demanded that the TTD authorities should disclose the details of the brokers, who were caught by the vigilance sleuths a week ago. He warned to intensify agitation to protect the Tirumala sanctity if action was not taken.