Altered Image Viral as Chandrababu Naidu Watching YSRCP's Manifesto Launch

An image showing Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) Chandrababu Naidu looking at Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on a television screen is being shared on social media platforms.

What is the claim?: Those sharing claimed that it shows Naidu watching Jagan Mohan Reddy tell about YSRCP's manifesto.

This post recorded 34K views at the time of writing this story. (Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is this true?: No, the claim is false as the image has been digitally altered.

• The original image is from 2017 and shows Naidu inaugurating a real-time governance state centre.

• Whereas, Jagan Mohan Reddy's image is recent from when they launched YSRCP's manifesto.

How did we find out?: We ran a Google reverse image search on the photo and came across a Facebook post on Nara Chandrababu Naidu's account from 2017.

• In this set of photographs was also the one similar to the viral image. You can see the similarities between the two below.

• The caption of the Facebook post read, "Inaugurated Real Time Governance State Center today, in the first block of the Secretariat."

• CM Jagan Mohan Reddy's image is recent from 27 April when the YSRCP launched their manifesto for the upcoming elections. It was published in stories by Telugu news outlets such as Sakshi and HMTV.

Conclusion: The image is digitally altered to falsely claim that Chandrababu Naidu was watching CM Jagan Mohan Reddy reading out YSRCP's manifesto.

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