"Won't Leave This With Just A CBI Inquiry": Key BJP Ally On Tirupati Laddoos Row

Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Saturday said the state government will not spare anyone involved in the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddus with animal fats.

During a recent NDA legislative party meeting, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making the popular Tirupati laddus, known for their unique taste.

Mr Lokesh said the NDDB lab reports have translated the allegations into facts and noted that Naidu will take the call on ordering a CBI inquiry into the row.

"NDDB's report is clear that adulteration happened. Report is clear, this is not an allegation. Chandrababu Naidu spoke with facts. We will not spare anyone and we will also not leave this issue with just a CBI inquiry," he told PTI Videos on the sidelines of a CII conference.

The IT minister noted that the CM is also contemplating on what structural changes need to be done to ensure that irregularities of this fashion do not recur.

According to the TDP general secretary, controversies like this will erupt if there is a visionless CM sans clarity of thought.

"There were CMs before Jagan also, but none of them touched Tirumala. They did not do these kinds of things. Even I felt very bad. He (Sri Venkateswara) is also our God. We also feel very bad about it (animal fats in laddus)," he said.

Further, he observed that the government is looking at streamlining the entire process at Tirumala going forward and added that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent and autonomous body.

TTD is the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)