Fine then. ‘Animal fat’ didn’t stick. Will ‘adulterated ghee’ do the trick?

After the sensational claim of “animal fat” in the Tirumala laddu failed to stand scrutiny, the TDP–Jana Sena leadership appears to have shifted goalposts—this time to allegations of “adulterated ghee.” The latest charge was made by Pawan Kalyan , Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief, who now alleges that the ghee used in the sacred prasadam was adulterated, even as the earlier, more incendiary narrative collapsed.

Speaking at a party meeting, the Dy CM cited the SIT report to claim that genuine ghee was not used in the Tirumala laddu. Notably absent, however, was any reiteration of the explosive “animal fat” allegation earlier pushed with certainty by leaders of the Telugu Desam Party and the Jana Sena Party, a charge that triggered outrage among devotees and sparked a political storm.

That allegation, the YSR Congress Party maintains, was made without evidence and has since fallen flat. With no conclusive proof forthcoming, YSRCP leaders argue, the sudden pivot to “adulterated ghee” raises questions about whether facts are being reshaped to salvage an overextended claim.

This shifting stance has drawn criticism for jumping the gun on an issue as sensitive as the Tirumala laddu, an offering revered by millions. Allegations involving the sanctity of Tirumala demand extraordinary caution, yet the initial claims were aired publicly and forcefully before being substantiated .

YSRCP leaders have therefore called on the TDP–Jana Sena leadership to apologise for making controversial and emotive assertions without first establishing the facts, arguing that such statements risk hurting devotees’ sentiments and deepening political mistrust.