Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has proposed the construction of a Lord Venkateswara temple in Ayodhya under the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, seeking land from the Uttar Pradesh government for the ambitious religious project. Addressing a public gathering in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Naidu requested the allocation of five to 10 acres in Ayodhya to establish a TTD-managed Balaji temple.
Naidu presented the proposal during the Varanasi-Vadnagar Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public service. The event brought together several NDA leaders and highlighted religious, national-development and public-service initiatives. The proposed temple would expand TTD’s presence in northern India and offer pilgrims visiting Ayodhya an opportunity to worship Lord Venkateswara without travelling to Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh.
Explaining the spiritual importance of the proposal, Naidu described Lord Rama as the deity of Treta Yuga and Lord Venkateswara as the deity associated with Kali Yuga. He said a Balaji temple in Ayodhya would unite the devotional traditions connected to two of Hinduism’s most prominent deities.
Ayodhya has emerged as one of India’s leading religious destinations following the construction of the Ram Mandir. Tirumala, meanwhile, is home to the globally renowned Lord Venkateswara temple and attracts millions of pilgrims every year. If approved, the proposed temple could be designed and managed with the involvement of TTD, which oversees the Tirumala shrine and several Lord Venkateswara temples across India.
TTD has been expanding its religious presence by developing temples in different states. Projects have been planned or taken up in Bihar, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as part of its broader effort to establish Lord Venkateswara temples across the country. The Ayodhya proposal would carry additional symbolic value because it would connect the sacred cities associated with Lord Rama and Lord Venkateswara.
Naidu made the request directly to the Uttar Pradesh government, but no formal land allotment or project approval has been announced so far. The temple therefore remains at the proposal stage. The next major step would be a decision by the Yogi Adityanath government on whether five to 10 acres can be provided in Ayodhya. After a land allotment, TTD would need to consider the project, approve its development plans and determine funding, design and construction arrangements. During his address, Naidu also praised Prime Minister Modi for the completion of the Ram Mandir and reaffirmed his support for the NDA. He highlighted assistance provided by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh and spoke about the importance of national development under Modi’s leadership.
Naidu additionally advocated linking major rivers, referring to river-management initiatives involving the Godavari and Krishna in the South. He suggested that similar efforts involving the Ganga and other rivers could improve water use and regional development. For now, the proposed Balaji temple in Ayodhya depends on the Uttar Pradesh government’s response to the land request. If accepted, it could become a significant TTD project and bring together the pilgrimage traditions of Ayodhya and Tirumala.
