Indapur Dairy has tendered six times for ghee during 2019-2025 under the YSRCP regime, claims TTD chairman BR Naidu. | Photo credit: File Photo
After Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman BR Naidu and his predecessor and YSRCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy once again engaged in a war of words, this time over the supply of ghee from a Maharashtray, Indian company, after they clashed over the issue of alleged use of adulterated ghee to make Tirumala laddu prasadam.
While Mr. Karunakar Reddy was the first to raise the issue of Indapur Dairy bagging the contract to supply ghee to TTD every time during the TDP regime, Mr. BR Naidu swept the allegation off the table and pointed out that Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has always remained the largest and reliable supplier of ghee to TTD by meeting its total requirement of 62%.
Mr. Naidu released the ghee procurement data for 2024-25 when seven reputed national dairies participated in seven rounds of tenders after the revised ghee procurement guidelines came into force.
KMF bagged four out of seven tenders for the supply of 60,000,000 kg but reportedly expressed its ability to supply only 10,000,000 kg of the 20,000,000 kg in a tender floated last October.
KMF has supplied 50 lakh kg, which is 62% of the total quantity of ghee procured in 2024-25. Indapur Dairy had qualified in only two out of seven tenders and won contracts for only 10 lakh kg, he explained while rubbishing the allegation that Indapur Dairy participated in TTD tenders only during the TDP regime.
“Indapur has also participated in ghee tender six times during 2019-2025 under YSRCP regime,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Mr. Karunakar Reddy wondered how TTD could have declared Indapur Dairy as the L2 (second lowest bidder) in a tender in which the company did not even participate.
In a media interview, he cited the TTD board resolution regarding October 2025 where it was mentioned that only KMF was participating in the tender process for supply of 20 lakh kg of cow ghee.
Mr. Karunakar Reddy also withdrew the current advice to relax the clause regarding the geographical distance of national dairies from Tirupati, from the earlier 1,500 km to 800 km.
“The recommendation was made by external experts who are accused by the SIT in the ghee adulteration case, but the TTD has no problem in implementing their advice,” he noted.
Published – 18 Feb 2026 20:38 IST