Tirupati laddu row: Ex-Andhra minister says no violation, demands probe

Former Andhra Pradesh Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Kakani Govardhan Reddy on Monday rejected all the allegations in connection with the alleged use of animal fat and other sub-standard ingredients in the making of famous Tirupati laddu.
Speaking to the media, Reddy sought a detailed investigation into the matter and described the allegations by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu as part of a political conspiracy.
Speaking to the media in Nellore, the former minister emphasised that Naidu is using these allegations to divert attention from the failures of his government and demanded an inquiry to uncover the truth.
Kakani further added that the ghee used in TTD laddu preparation undergoes rigorous testing before being accepted.
He shared details about the transparent procurement process in place since 2014 and mentioned that, in July, four tankers of substandard ghee were returned.
Despite this, Chandrababu falsely claimed that the returned ghee was used in the prasada, Reddy said, while challenging the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to provide evidence for his accusations and sarcastically questioned whether Pawan Kalyan was fasting as a form of penance for supporting Chandrababu.
Meanwhile, speaking at a separate press conference at the party office in Tadepalli, former MLA Gadikota Srikanth Reddy also condemned Chandrababu’s allegations and emphasised that Chandrababu is using devotees’ sentiments for political gain, which is both wrong and harmful to the reputation of the deity.
He urged a detailed inquiry into these baseless claims, highlighting that Chandrababu’s focus on diversion politics stems from the government’s failures in handling various issues, including floods and the privatisation of the Vizag Steel Plant.
Srikanth Reddy pointed out that TTD follows a strict procurement and quality-testing process for all materials used in prasad preparation, and that such unfounded allegations tarnish the institution’s image.
Srikanth Reddy also recalled that similar baseless accusations were made by Chandrababu against former YSR Jagan Mohan Reddy, criticising his past record of demolishing temples during his administration. Both leaders expressed their firm belief that any wrongdoing concerning the Lord’s prasada would have consequences and demanded that the truth be revealed to the public.