Ashok’s family to move HC on Sanchaita’s appointment

State government has violated all norms, allege TDP leaders

The family members of former Union Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju are expected to file a petition in High Court seeking stay on the appointment of Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju, daughter of former MP P. Ananda Gajapathi Raju as chairperson of MANSAS ((Maharaja Alak Narayana Society of Arts and Science) Trust. Mr. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who is currently in New Delhi, is likely to come to Vizianagaram shortly to discuss the issue with legal experts and confidants of his family.

Addressing the media here, TDP MLC Dwarapu Reddy Jagadish, TDP district president Mahanti Chinnam Naidu said that the State government violated all the norms of the Society Act and appointed Ms. Sanchaita as chairperson although her mother Uma Gajapathi Raju took divorce from Ananda Gajapathi Raju in 1991.

“MANSAS Trust has high reputation in the region and Mr. Ashok Gajapathi Raju is highly respected person. He was removed as chairperson of the trust. Moreover, only male members of PVG family are supposed to be the chairpersons of the trust as per its by-laws. The State government violated all the rules and regulations and it would be challenged in High Court,” said Mr. Jagadish.

Differences in family

The State government issued a GO 74, dated March 3, 2020, appointing Ms. Sanchaita as chairperson, replacing former Union Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju who was the chairman of the trust since 2016. Mr. Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s daughter Aditi Gajapathi Raju is currently director of the board. There have been serious differences among the family members of the two brothers for the last few years after the death of Ananda Gajapathi Raju. Ms. Sanchaita has come to limelight just before the elections and campaigned for the BJP in the State. Along with the Endowments Department, the trust controls 108 temples, including Simhachalam Devasthanam, and 14,800 acres of costliest lands in Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts. The trust also looks after several educational institutions including MR College, and MVGR College of Engineering.