YSRCP supporters in West Godavari have taken their reverence for their party chief to new heights. A temple is being built for Chief Minister and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy in Rajampalem village of Gopalapuram mandal of West Godavari district. 

According to Times of India, local party leader K Nageswara Rao and his wife Dhana Lakshmi are building the temple, and Gopalapuram MLA Talari Venkatarao laid the foundation on Wednesday. 

The temple is reportedly estimated to cost around Rs 10 lakh and will be constructed in an area spread over 250 square yards. A statue of Jagan will also be erected, and is expected to cost around Rs 3 lakh, reports said. 

Speaking to the media, MLA Venkatarao said, “Christians go to the church, Muslims go to the masjid, Hindus go to the ‘ramalayam’, but even gods may delay answering your prayers. This temple is being built thinking of Jagan as a god who grants any prayers without even asking.” He also referred to various welfare schemes being implemented by the YSRCP government. 

He also referred to popular film stars like Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan and Khushbu Sundar, who have had temples built for them by their fans in the past.  

According to The New Indian Express, the foundation stone for Jagan’s temple was laid at the same ‘muhurtham’ or pre-decided time believed to be auspicious, as the Ram temple in Ayodhya. 

YSRCP workers and leaders have been criticised for their displays of sycophancy in the past. In June 2019, soon after the YSRCP government came to power, Nellore MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy took his oath in the Assembly in the name of CM Jagan, saying, “What is wrong if I consider my leader as my god?”

However, the pro-tem Speaker at the time, Sambangi Appala Naidu did not entertain the oath and made the MLA take the oath again as per the Assembly rules, wherein legislators are expected to take oath in the name of god or give “solemn affirmation” owing allegiance to the Constitution.