With Sathya Sai Baba's last rites performed on Wednesday, the next question is who will lead the Shri Sathya Sai Baba Central Trust, that controls a spritual empire worth more that Rs 40,000 crore with operations in 130 countries. The members of the trust will brief the media at 11 am on Thursday.
Although the press-note from the trust does not clarify what would be spoken at the meeting, the expectation is that they will announce how the trust will be managed in future.
There are many questions in the minds of the devotees and general public about the management of the trust. The names of two persons likely to head the trust are Satyajith, Baba's personal caregiver and Ratnakar, Baba's nephew.
Speculation has been rife that Satyajith is in possession of a will written by Baba in which it is said to be mentioned that he would run the affairs of the trust after Baba. However, this has been denied by the Ratnakar camp.
However, what sources indicate is that there is a compromise formula brokered by the Andhra Pradesh government. As per this formula, both Ratnakar and Satyajith will have key roles to play in the management of the trust. The government had also made it clear that it would play no role in the trust but would only oversee a peaceful transition.
Thursday's meet by the members of the trust will also make it clear whether there will be a successor and indicate if there is any rift within the trust.
In case there is a will, then that too would be made public on Thursday. The entire exercise would be to instill trust in the devotees who are shaken by the passing away of Sathya Sai Baba and have questioned how the trust would be managed in future.
