Tirumala, Mar 12 (UNI) Protesting against the decision of the Karnataka Endowment ministry to handover the management of the Karnataka Choultry located in Tirumala to private parties, the staff members of the Choultry, who were on relay hunger strike, would intensify there agitation from midnight today.

The talks between staff and Government were in progress and 165 employees working in various departments, would intesify their agitation, unless the Karnataka Government drop their proposed decision, the employees of the Choultry said here.

The Karnataka Government was all set to hand-over the management of the Choultry to a private party for Rs 1.2 crore per annum, the employees said. The Choultry at present was earning Rs 1.9 crore and if the administration provided additional amenities, besides repairs, the revenue would be increased by another Rs 25 lakh, they added.

They said, the piligrims, especially from Karnataka would be affected, if the Karnataka Government went ahead with their decision to hand-over the Choultry management to a private party.

Meawhile, Praja Congress Party(PCP) founder-president Narra Munichandra in a letter addressed to the Karnata Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, urged him to ensure the cancellation of the lease on Choultry to private parties and protect the sentiments of the srivari devotees.

Mr Narra said keeping in mind the interests of the devotees from Karnataka, the Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam(TTD) had donated the land to Karnataka Government for Choultry purpose long ago. Some vested interests were trying to commercialise it, he added. He demanded the Karnataka Government to constitute a Committee on the lease issue and stern action initiated against errand leaders and officials. The Choultry should be maintained by the Karnataka Government, or else it should be handed-over to the TTD for the sake of amicable relations between them, he added.

UNI