Amaravati: Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday, March 4, alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had compromised the sanctity of TTD by appointing individuals facing serious allegations as chairman of the temple trust.
His remarks came after an inappropriate video featuring Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman BR Naidu, allegedly with a woman, went viral.
The TTD chairman has refuted the charges.
The opposition leader claimed that administering the TTD temples, where Lord Venkateswara is worshipped by crores of devotees in India and abroad as the living deity of the Kali Yuga, required individuals with impeccable character, devotion and integrity.
“By appointing individuals facing serious allegations as chairman of the TTD, Chandrababu Naidu has undermined the sanctity and credibility of the temple administration,” Reddy said in a post on ‘X’.
Such a sacred institution must be led by people with unquestionable character, devotion and commitment, but the present leadership has reduced the position to a platform for “selfish political interests”.
The former CM alleged that even before the assembly elections in 2024, a woman had written to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Naidu, accusing the current TTD chairman of cheating her and harassing women who approached him for assistance.
BR Naidu is said to be a close associate of the TDP supremo.
Reddy claimed that instead of ordering an inquiry into the allegations, the chief minister allegedly ignored the complaint and proceeded with appointing the same individual as TTD chairman.
He argued that a person with genuine devotion to Lord Venkateswara Swamy would not make such decisions and alleged that the move reflected lack of sincerity in protecting the temple’s sanctity.
Responding to the allegations, the TTD Chairman criticised Reddy, questioning his moral authority to speak about Hindutva and the sanctity of Tirumala.
“A truth known to the entire world is that you have no right to speak about Hindutva or about Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy. Do you even have the right or moral standing to utter His name,” Naidu said in a post on ‘X’.
He alleged that during Reddy’s tenure as chief minister between 2019 and 2024, individuals close to him undermined the dignity of the Hindu religion and allowed the propagation of other faiths on Tirumala hills.
Naidu claimed that after assuming charge as TTD chairman, steps were being taken to cleanse the institution in line with the vision of CM Naidu and prevent people of other religions from being part of the temple administration.
The TTD chairman further accused Reddy of orchestrating conspiracies against him, including circulating deepfake videos to damage the prestige of Tirumala, and challenged him to visit the temple with his wife to prove his faith.
The YSRCP chief also referred to the controversy surrounding ghee used in preparing the Tirumala Laddu prasadam, alleging that certain consignments had earlier been rejected by the TTD laboratory for failing quality standards.
He further alleged that the same consignments later re-entered the temple system under different names and were eventually used in the preparation of the prasadam.
The YSRCP supremo claimed that these details were mentioned in the CBI-SIT chargesheets related to the Tirumala Laddu issue and accused the government of attempting to shift blame to create a political controversy.
He further alleged irregularities in ghee procurement pricing, claiming that the purchase price earlier ranged between Rs 278 and Rs 330 per kilogram. But in 2025, ghee supplied by a company linked to CM Naidu’s Heritage group was procured at about Rs 658 per kilogram, allowing excessive profits, he claimed.
Reddy said that these developments raised serious concerns over the administration of the temples and alleged that the present leadership lacked sincerity and integrity in handling such a sacred institution.
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