Pavan Korada 
New Delhi: The Tirupati stampede on January 8, which claimed six lives and left 40 devotees seriously injured, has become yet another flashpoint for political wrangling between key ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners in Andhra Pradesh: the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
TDP President and chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu adopted an aggressive stance, blaming the previous Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government for introducing the token system, which he claimed was the root cause of the confusion and rush.
On the contrary, deputy chief minister and JSP President K. Pawan Kalyan struck a defensive tone, apologising to “all Hindus” for the lapse that led to the tragedy during a separate press conference.
In the days that followed, disciplinary action was taken against several officials. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ramana Kumar, who had been overseeing crowd control in the Bairagipatteda area, and K. Haranath Reddy, director of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshanasala, were both suspended.
Reddy was found responsible for deciding the locations of the ticket counters. Naidu subsequently announced the suspension of Superintendent of Police (SP) L. Subbarayudu, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ joint executive officer for health and education M. Gouthami, and chief vigilance and security officer S. Sreedhar.
Naidu also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh, a contractual job for the families of the deceased and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Naidu hints at ‘connection’ between stampede and Tirupati laddu controversy
This tragedy follows the infamous Tirupati laddu controversy from September 2024, where both the TDP and JSP accused former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for allowing animal fat to be mixed with ‘pure’ ghee in the laddu prasadam.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Kalyan, also a film actor, took to saffron robes and performed an 11-day penance, alleging a conspiracy by Jagan and “pseudo-secular” forces to undermine Sanatana Dharma.
In a surprising role reversal, it was Naidu who hinted at a conspiracy this time, linking the stampede to the earlier laddu incident and suggested a larger plot against Tirupati and Hinduism allegedly orchestrated by Reddy, who happens to be a practising Christian.
Also read: ‘Hindus First, Caste Next’: What ‘Haindava Sankharavam’ Means for the BJP in Andhra Pradesh
The former chief minister, during his visit to Tirumala to meet the victims, described the tragedy as a severe administrative failure. He also criticized Naidu for conducting political programs in his home constituency, Kuppam, which is in the same district as Tirupati, thereby diverting security resources at a critical time.
“The crowd for Vaikuntha Ekadashi is a predictable event every year. Why were there no adequate arrangements at the ticket counters? Why wasn’t sufficient security deployed? This incident could have been avoided if the administration and police had acted systematically. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), district administration and police failed in their responsibilities. Poor planning and coordination, despite anticipating the crowd, led to this tragedy,” Reddy told the media.
Social media war between JSP and TDP supporters
Meanwhile, Kalyan, speaking later at an event in his home constituency of Pithapuram, demanded that TTD chairman B.R. Naidu apologise to devotees for the incident. This was noteworthy, given Kalyan had not made similar demands of the TDP’s endowments minister or any other TDP leaders, including chief minister Naidu.
When asked about Kalyan’s demand, the TTD chairman said, “Sir, apologising won’t bring back the dead. We will identify those responsible and take strict action. Just because some person or individual is demanding an apology, I need not apologise.”
B.R. Naidu, a close associate of the TDP and a long-time contemporary of Naidu from Chittoor district, also chairs the influential TV5 Broadcasting Network, which openly supports the TDP. Like his predecessor Y.V. Subba Reddy from the YSRCP, B.R. Naidu is a political appointee. His refusal to apologise sparked a social media war between JSP supporters – amplified by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sangh parivar networks – and TDP supporters.
However, two days later, B.R. Naidu tendered an unconditional apology. This suggests that despite his earlier defiance, he was likely instructed by his political superiors in the TDP or even directly by the chief minister’s office (CMO).
By demonstrating humility, issuing an apology and compelling the TTD chairman to follow suit, Kalyan appears to have emerged as the political victor from this tragic incident, successfully shifting the blame onto his alliance partner, the TDP.
Kalyan’s ‘heads-I-win-tails-you-lose’ strategy
This is not the first time Kalyan has employed such a strategy. Previously, he criticized the Director General of Police (DGP) and Andhra Pradesh home minister for alleged leniency in addressing the rise in crimes against women in the state. Publicly expressing dissatisfaction, he warned TDP’s home minister V. Anita that if she could not perform her duties effectively, he would be “forced to take up the home ministry” himself, promising a starkly different approach.
As observed by The Wire, Kalyan seems to be employing a “heads-I-win-tails-you-lose” strategy. He takes credit for positive developments while deflecting blame onto the administration or TDP leaders. This tactic allows him to project himself as more active, responsible and connected to the public than the TDP leadership, including chief minister Naidu.
Additionally, Kalyan’s aggressive posturing as a defender of the Sanatan Dharma, coupled with the exponential growth of the Sangh parivar network, is bolstering his and the BJP’s stature in Andhra Pradesh. This is further evidenced by the nationwide Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) campaign launched earlier this year from Vijayawada.
The rise of Pawan Kalyan and the BJP
The growing influence of Kalyan and the BJP has raised alarms among TDP supporters. Notably, senior journalist and ABN Andhra Jyothi managing director Vemuri Radhakrishna, considered close to the TDP and a representative of Kamma class interests, has voiced concerns about this shifting political dynamic.
In his second such weekend column this year, Vemuri Radhakrishna addressed the political controversy surrounding Kalyan’s demand for an apology from the TTD Chairman. He reiterated warnings to Naidu about the increasing influence of Kalyan, the BJP, and the consolidation of the Hindu vote in Andhra Pradesh.
Also read: At Visakhapatnam, Modi Silent on Privatisation of Steel Plant, Refrains From Mentioning Jagan
Radhakrishna expressed concerns about the future of the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance, particularly when Naidu’s son, Nara Lokesh, is projected as the chief ministerial candidate. He cautioned that Kalyan could pose a significant challenge to the Lokesh at that juncture.
Radhakrishna urged Naidu to elevate Lokesh to a prominent leadership role sooner rather than later, arguing that delaying the transition could mirror the missteps seen with Rahul Gandhi or K. Tarakarama Rao (KTR) in Telangana.
Interestingly, he also alluded to how ‘deputy chief minister’ is technically not a constitutional post and that Kalyan is just like any other minister in the cabinet, punching above his weight and taking full advantage of the TDP politically.
A senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member and Kapu leader from Eluru, speaking on condition of anonymity, echoed Radhakrishna’s sentiments. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Visakhapatnam, where he inaugurated projects worth approximately Rs 2 lakh crore, has bolstered a positive narrative around the BJP and Kalyan.
“The TDP and Naidu failed to secure special category status for Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation. Now, with the prime minister’s visit, we are promoting the narrative that it is Kalyan and state BJP leaders who are bringing tangible benefits to the state. This narrative is helping us grow rapidly here,” he told The Wire.
When asked how long TDP and Naidu might tolerate this narrative, he gave a cryptic response, “Let’s wait and watch. It’s too early to say anything definitive since the NDA alliance in the state hasn’t even completed a year. With a joint parliamentary committee already examining the One Nation, One Election proposal, which might pass in the next parliamentary session, we could see major political shifts. Maybe then you can start your countdown.”