Kakinada, February 8: YSR Congress Party leader and former minister Kurasala Kannababu accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of repeatedly dragging the Tirupati Laddu issue into public discourse to divert attention from his government’s alleged failures.
Speaking to the media in Kakinada, Kannababu stated that despite being in power for 20 months, the government has failed to fulfill key promises. He claimed that whenever faced with criticism, the government resorts to raising the Laddu controversy.
Kannababu, who is the regional coordinator for YSRCP in North Andhra, alleged that Naidu is tarnishing the sanctity of Tirumala for political gain, hurting Hindu sentiments, and attempting to politically target Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy through what he termed false propaganda.
He pointed out that despite the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed under the Supreme Court finding no evidence of animal fat adulteration, the ruling coalition continues to spread misinformation. He noted that the ghee samples mentioned in the controversy were taken after the coalition came to power and that the approval for Bhole Baba Dairy was granted during Naidu’s previous tenure.
Kannababu emphasized that the SIT report clearly states that ghee tankers, which were rejected by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) during the coalition government, re-entered the system through clandestine routes and were later used. Yet, the blame is being placed on YSRCP.
He criticized coalition leaders for questioning how ghee could be procured at such low prices, reminding them that during Naidu’s previous term, ghee was available at even lower rates. He condemned claims of sending adulterated Laddus to Ayodhya as irresponsible, asserting that such shipments were sent by individual board members and had no connection to TTD.
Kannababu stressed that former TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy had himself requested a CBI investigation in the Supreme Court because he had nothing to hide. He accused the ruling party of starting a smear campaign before the investigation was completed. He questioned whether dragging a deity worshipped by millions into a political battle was not a disgrace to faith.
He further accused Naidu of attacking Hinduism, stating that after being exposed in the SIT investigation, the Chief Minister is now making new claims about the alleged use of “toilet cleaning chemicals” in Laddu preparation to keep the controversy alive.