The former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and President of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has cancelled his trip to Tirumala for a darshan of Balaji amid a row over the adulteration of Laddu prasadam.
Reddy was supposed to reach Tirumala this evening and take darshan on Saturday morning.
However, there was raging controversy over the need for Reddy to submit a non-Hindu devotee declaration as he is a Christian by faith.
Even though Tirumala norms require non-Hindus to sign a declaration before entering the temple, Reddy did not provide any declaration when he was the Chief Minister during 2019-24 and visited Tirumala many times.
However, TTD and government circles insisted that all norms would be followed, and Reddy would have to sign the declaration before going for a darshan.
Speaking to the media in his Tadepalli residence on Monday, the YSRCP President alleged that the NDA Government was attempting to divert people’s attention over Laddu adulteration to the declaration issue.
The Government’s contention of adulteration of the Laddu Prasadam was `false’ and politically motivated, he alleged, adding that he was not being allowed to take a darshan of Lord Balaji.