AP Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan visits Tirumala temple with daughters, carries 'Varahi declaration'

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena party president Pawan Kalyan visited the Tirumala temple on Wednesday, accompanied by his daughters, as part of his 11-day penance for what he claims are the sins committed by the previous YSRCP regime at the sacred site.

During the visit, Kalyan carried a file containing the 'Varahi Declaration,' which he plans to proclaim at a public meeting in Tirupati on Thursday. A Janasena party press release confirmed that Kalyan had taken the Varahi Declaration with him during his darshan of Lord Venkateswara at the temple.

Kalyan’s youngest daughter, Palina Anjani Konidela, who is reportedly a non-Hindu, also accompanied him to the temple. As per the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) rules, non-Hindu visitors must declare their faith in Lord Venkateswara before entering the temple premises. The Janasena press release mentioned that Palina Anjani submitted the required declaration before their visit, with Kalyan, her father, endorsing the documents due to her minor status.

This declaration has drawn attention, especially as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Hindu organizations had earlier demanded that YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a Christian, should submit a similar declaration before his recently canceled visit to the temple.