HYDERABAD: At least 30 names, including Nita Ambani, are in the list of likely to the executive board Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which is likely to be established in the coming days by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu.

Of the more than 1,200 applications received by TTD board members, authorities selected 30 names that were to be awakened by the intelligence department. Apart from Nita Ambani of Reliance Group, others in contention include film director K Raghavendra Rao, actor Shivaji and AP BJP spokesperson G Bhanuprakash Reddy. "The main BJP leaders, including Union Minister Amit Shah and Sadanand Gowda, have names from other parts of the country is recommended. All of them are being considered," the sources said.

Typically, groups of agitated pressure to the position of Chairman TTD. However, this time, the name of one candidate, TDP senior leader Chadalawada Krishnamurthy Chittoor district, is making the rounds.

The TTD board usually has 15 members, including the chairman. Naidu is believed to have increased to 18 this time, given the existence of a new state of Telugu speaking as Telangana. Apart from the board of 18 members, the TTD management is likely to comprise a commissioner.

Previous management temple was led by Kanimuri Bapiraju and tenure was until August 24 this year. However, the TDP regime ended the tenure of a couple of days before and brought the TTD administration under authority specified endowments led by Principal Secretary JC Sharma.

The delay in the announcement of the new board TTD was because of pressure from the BJP, as well as the large number of applicants from within the TDP, the sources said. "Because of that, Naidu has decided to reduce the tenure of the board of the temple of the current two years to one year," he added.