Amaravathi (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 11 : YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Chief Minister and YSRCP Chief, on Wednesday accused Chandrababu Naidu of politicising the Tirupati issue, claiming that all fingers point towards Naidu.
Addressing a press conference in Amaravathi, Reddy stated that the budget session was used to spread lies and false propaganda against political adversaries, while genuine questions from the opposition went unanswered.
"Chandrababu has been politicising the Tirupati issue, even though all the accusing fingers are pointing towards him. The budget session was used to spread lies, false propaganda, and to level baseless allegations against political adversaries, while genuine questions raised by the opposition on matters of public interest remained unanswered", he said.
Chief Minister Naidu has alleged that during the previous YSRCP tenure (2019-2024), "tainted ghee" was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddu prasadam, leading to a loss of approximately ₹234 crore in TTD funds.
The YSRCP has consistently denied these claims, labelling them as a "political conspiracy" to divert attention from current governance issues, including an alleged ₹200 crore ghee procurement scam under the current administration. They further allege that the state government is prioritising favoured companies for procurement contracts.
The opposition has also targeted TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu following the emergence of viral video clips (which he has dismissed as "deepfakes"), demanding his resignation and accusing the government of compromising the sanctity of the temple trust by appointing individuals with questionable backgrounds.
The remarks come amid ongoing political tensions between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government and the opposition YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh, with leaders from both sides trading allegations over governance and political conduct.
Earlier in the day, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said the budget presented by the Chandrababu Naidu government is filled with misleading numbers and false narratives.
Jagan said that since Chandrababu came to power, the "state's debt has been continuously increasing. During our five-year government, the total borrowing was about Rs 3.31 lakh crore. But in just two years of Chandrababu's rule, the debt has already crossed Rs 3.20 lakh crore.
"Whenever Chandrababu comes to power, Jagan said that revenues have declined and debts have risen.
"The reason is clear - rampant corruption and large-scale misuse of resources. Government lands are being handed over to private real estate companies at throwaway prices. Lands worth thousands of crores in Visakhapatnam are being allotted to relatives and associates."
The government is not even maintaining a minimum balance in the treasury, Jagan Reddy slammed the TDP.
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