The controversy over the Tirupati laddus has turned into a political storm, with allegations of animal fat in the sacred prasadam.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and chief minister Chandrababu Naidu claim that lab tests revealed the presence of animal fat, specifically lard, in the laddus.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda has sought a report from the Andhra Pradesh government and promised action after reviewing the findings.

TTD’s executive officer, J Shyamala Rao, revealed that adulterated ghee had been supplied to the temple, citing a lack of in-house testing facilities as a major reason.

Rao explained that the ghee suppliers exploited the temple's reliance on external testing labs, providing substandard products at unviable prices.

Lab results indicated the presence of foreign fats such as soya bean oil, sunflower oil, palm kernel fat, and even lard and beef tallow in the ghee.

TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy claimed that the adulteration had been confirmed by a Gujarat-based lab, with beef tallow and fish oil also detected.

Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous government of purchasing low-quality ghee at cheaper rates, hurting the sacredness of the prasadam.

Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSRCP labeled the accusations as "diversion politics" to distract the public from Chandrababu Naidu's 100 days in office.

Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, one of the ghee suppliers, denied the allegations, stating their product passed all quality checks.

Meanwhile, Karnataka's Nandini brand ghee has been chosen to supply the Tirupati temple moving forward, ensuring purity and quality in the laddus.