Politics in Andhra Pradesh has intensified after the SIT report on the Tirumala Laddu adulteration issue. With the report confirming adulteration, sharp exchanges have broken out between the ruling coalition and the opposition YSR Congress Party. While the YSRCP accuses Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan of exaggeration, the coalition questions why the opposition is downplaying the issue even after adulteration was confirmed. The arrest and remand of YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu for abusive remarks further escalated tensions and soon gave the controversy a Kapu political angle.
Kranti Barlapudi Slams YSRCP Narrative
Amid this charged atmosphere, Janasena leader Kranti Barlapudi, daughter of senior Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham, launched a scathing attack on YSRCP chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. In a strong statement, Kranti said the opposition was falsely claiming a clean chit on the Laddu issue despite findings that nearly sixty lakh kilograms of ghee were produced using dangerous chemical processes. She questioned what else could have been used in such low cost production if not animal fat. She alleged that the controversy was deliberately diverted by encouraging leaders like Ambati Rambabu and Jogi Ramesh to abuse Chandrababu Naidu for political gain.
Kranti pointed out that under Jagan’s rule, the state slipped backward, while after Chandrababu returned to power, major projects like Polavaram and Amaravati regained momentum. She said investments were returning to the state and credited Pawan Kalyan for energising the Panchayat Raj system through village assemblies, infrastructure works, and governance reforms. She accused Jagan of fuelling caste tensions out of political insecurity. She questioned how her father could now claim that no adulteration took place, especially when YSRCP had earlier used his movement to gain power.
Warning to Kapu Community
Kranti made a pointed remark that Jagan remembered Reddys while in power and Kapus only after losing power. She questioned whether there was any guarantee that Kapu leaders would not be used as political pawns next, just as Ambati Rambabu was now facing legal trouble. She urged the Kapu community not to fall into what she called a political trap once again. Her message was clear. Emotional mobilisation should not come at the cost of truth, governance, and long term interests.
As the Laddu controversy continues to unfold, it has clearly moved beyond food safety and entered the heart of Andhra Pradesh’s political and caste equations.
