Amaravati, March 4: Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, president of the YSR Congress Party, has accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of using the Tirumala Temple for his political gain.
He claimed that Naidu lacks both devotion to God and integrity in managing temples. Jagan expressed concerns about Naidu’s commitment and honesty in handling matters related to such sacred institutions.
In a social media post, the former chief minister criticized recent developments surrounding the temple and condemned Naidu’s actions. The administration of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), where millions worship Lord Venkateswara as a living deity, is a highly sacred responsibility.
He stated, “Such a holy institution should be managed by individuals of impeccable character, unwavering devotion, honesty, and commitment.” Jagan accused the chief minister of turning this sacred position into a platform for selfish political interests.
Instead of preserving the temple’s dignity and sanctity, decisions made under Naidu’s leadership have tarnished the institution’s reputation. Referring to recent allegations against TTD chairman B.R. Naidu, Jagan noted that even before the elections, a woman had written to Naidu claiming that the current TTD chairman had deceived her and played with her life.
In her complaint, she stated that women who approached him for even minor tasks faced harassment. Jagan asserted, “As a responsible leader, Naidu should have ordered an investigation into these serious allegations and taken appropriate action. Instead, he completely ignored these claims and appointed the same person as TTD chairman, compromising the temple’s sanctity and respect.”
“No one with true devotion to Lord Venkateswara would ever make such a decision. If there were genuine commitment to protecting the temple’s sanctity, such appointments would not occur,” he added. This further demonstrates Naidu’s lack of devotion, integrity, and even basic reverence for God.
The negligence also extends to the quality of ghee used for making Tirumala laddus. During Naidu’s tenure, TTD labs rejected some ghee consignments for failing quality standards. Nevertheless, those same low-quality ghee tankers were later allowed back into TTD under different names during his administration, ultimately used in making the laddus.
Jagan wrote, “This is clearly outlined in the CBI-SIT charge sheet. It is mentioned on pages 64 and 91 of the first charge sheet and again on page 44 of the final charge sheet. These findings clearly indicate negligence and a lack of seriousness in preserving the sanctity of the temple’s offerings.”
The former chief minister alleged that after making mistakes in the Tirumala laddu case, Naidu is now attempting to blame others while also stirring political controversy around it.
He remarked, “Another concerning issue is the price of ghee. Between 2014 and 2019, the purchase price for TTD’s ghee ranged between ₹278 and ₹330 per kilogram. During 2019-2024, the average price remained in a similar range. However, under Naidu’s leadership, false allegations about ghee quality were made, and contracts were structured in a way that benefited a manufacturing company linked to his heritage group, Indapur Dairy. In 2025, this company allegedly supplied ghee to TTD at a price of around ₹658 per kilogram, turning temple purchases into a source of private profit.”
Jagan concluded, “These developments raise serious concerns. They show that Naidu lacks both devotion to the deity and integrity in temple administration. His actions reflect a lack of commitment, honesty, and truthfulness in handling matters related to such sacred institutions.”