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Sai Trust set to pick its new boss

PUTTAPARTHI: Amid growing apprehensions about a protracted struggle to control the powerful Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, the trustees on Thursday tried to present a united front saying that a new chairman would be elected soon as Sathya Sai Baba had neither left a will nor named any successor. Two Trust members would also be given the power to sign cheques in place of the 'godman'.

Addressing their maiden press conference in 20 years at the Sathya Sai Indoor Stadium here, the trustees also played down reports about Baba's ill-health saying there was nothing to suggest that anything was "extraordinarily wrong" prior to March 28 and that he was in his full senses till admission to the super-speciality hospital. They also sought to bury the casket controversy with Trust member Venu Srinivasan (ex-CII boss) asserting: "The casket arrived only after the Baba had passed away. We never ordered any casket in the first place."

On the future course of action, Srinivasan said: "The election of the chairman may happen next week when the trustees and the council of management meet in Puttaparthi." Baba's nephew R J Rathnakar — the only one from the Baba's family who is on the Trust board — also said that a decision on this would be taken soon. But the trustees ruled out adding more members to the Trust, including Baba's caregiver Satyajit, who, the trustees said, was just an employee picked by the 'godman' to attend to his personal needs. "Baba never took a decision to induct Satyajit into the Trust," Srinivasan said.

Srinivasan also sought to drive home the point that all Trust members were on the same page and no one had any personal agenda. "There are certain vested interests who are trying to defame the trust and its functionaries," he alleged. Srinivasan also dismissed the allegations levelled against the Trust by ex-TTD chairperson D K Adikesavulu Naidu saying that he had no locus standi. In between, Trust's "powerful" secretary K Chakravarthi said that the Baba wanted him to be the secretary. "I am not a trustee. I am only a facilitator to carry out welfare schemes," he said.

'Family members support Rathnakar': Despite the assertion of unity, Baba's family members seem to be backing Rathnakar — inducted into the Trust last year — to have a bigger say in the ashram's affairs even if he is not appointed as Baba's successor. Member of the council of management and Supreme Court advocate S S Naganand, however, said the Trust deed executed by the Baba himself has clearly specified the role of each trustee.

"Last year, the Baba himself expanded the trust by appointing five trustees and four members of the council of management. The trustees will take care of the Trust activities as enshrined in the Trust deed," Naganand said. Refuting reports that none of Baba's family members was allowed into the ICU, Rathnakar said he was with him during all the 27 days. "Several members of the family had darshan in the ICU," he said.

Asked as to who had decided to remove the ventilator, he said it was never removed. While Srinivasan said: "In the hospital, he was treated by doctors like any other patient. They did not treat him as God." He agreed that Baba's frame was slender but refused to comment on reports that his weight had dropped to 35 kgs before hospitalisation. On allegations against Satyajit, Srinivasan said: "He was with the Baba for 20 years. If he wasn't taking care of the Baba, he would have been sent away immediately." While Rathnakar dismissed reports of differences with Satyajit and said that he shared a "good relationship" with him. Senior trustees — former justice P N Bhagwati, Indulal Shah and S V Giri — along with member of council of management T K K Bhagvat were also present at the presser. "When Baba was alive we never had an occasion to interact with the media," Srinivasan said.

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