The YSRCP on Thursday made fresh allegations against TDP president and CM N Chandrababu Naidu alleging that his family concern Heritage Foods had supplied poor quality ghee to TTD for the preparation of Tirupati laddu during his first tenure.
Speaking to reporters at Tirupati, former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said while Chandrababu Naidu has been questioning how can quality ghee be supplied for less than Rs 300 per kg, it was the manufacturing unit of his family-owned Heritage Foods that supplied ghee at Rs 278 per kg during his earlier term.
“The manufacturing unit of Heritage Foods, called Indapur Foods and Dairy Products had supplied large quantity of ghee for prices varying from Rs 278 to Rs 306 during Chandrababu Naidu’s previous term in 2014 and he should answer about the quality,” he alleged.
Surprisingly, the same unit has come back as supplier after NDA returned and is now supplying at a whopping Rs 658 per kg.
The manufacturing unit of Heritage Foods along with another unit in Karnataka have been sharing the supplying chain after Chandrababu assumed office, he said.
“Chandrababu Naidu should answer as to how did the manufacturing unit supply ghee at Rs 278 earlier and how were the prices jacked up to Rs 658 unless there is a business deal,” he said.
The CBI charge sheet has mentioned that over 40 lakh kgs of ghee was supplied by the two units during Chandrababu’s term and he should answer as to why was ghee supplied at Rs 278 was considered as pure and changed his stance later by coming up with a statement that pure ghee cannot be supplied for less than Rs 300.
He also owes an explanation as to the bid price which was more than the price the manufacturing unit accepted in the recent bids.