In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led opposition has made a promise ahead of state’s Lok Sabha elections. With the promise of “reduced prices” and better quality alcohol, they are trying to win over voters.
The promise was made at a recent rally in Kuppam, where TDP leader and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu is running for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Chandrababu Naidu said, “I am telling you, after 40 days (of TDP forming the government), not only quality liquor, we will take the responsibility for reducing prices (as well).”
He also attacked the YSR Congress Party and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for reneging on their promise to outlaw alcohol in the southern state during the 2019 election.
In his speech in Kuppam, Chandrababu Naidu stated that “our younger brothers” demand a reduction in the cost of alcohol.
The TDP Chief said, “Prices of all commodities have gone up exorbitantly, including liquor rates, which are flying. Our younger brothers cheer when I mention liquor. They want the prices of liquor to be reduced. It is Jagan Mohan Reddy who increased the price from Rs 60 (for a nip) to Rs 200 and pocketed Rs 100.”
According to reports, the Andhra Pradesh government of the YSR Congress Party earned about Rs 24,000 crore in excise taxes in 2022–2023 compared to approximately Rs 17,000 crore in 2019–2020. Notably, government-owned establishments sell alcohol in Andhra Pradesh.
The YSR Congress Party government has been accused by Chandrababu Naidu on multiple occasions of selling subpar liquour while making millions of rupees in increased pricing.
Actor and leader of the Jana Sena Party (JSP), Pawan Kalyan, who supports the TDP in NDA for Lok Sabha elections, has made fun of Andhra Pradesh government. He claimed that if individuals kept drinking alcohol provided by the YSR Congress Party, they would become ill.
The actor said at a Pithapuram rally where he is standing for election that Jagan Mohan Reddy had “looted” Rs 40,000 crore from the sales of alcoholic beverages. He also asked why liquor purchases could not be made via digital money. “Where is the money going…about 74 per cent of the total liquor sold is being supplied by just 16 companies?” he said.
D Purandeswari, the president of the Andhra Pradesh BJP, had previously called for an investigation into the state’s liquor industry.
The BJP, TDP, and Jana Sena Party concluded a seat-sharing arrangement last month for the upcoming Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The BJP would run for ten Assembly seats and six Lok Sabha seats. In the meantime, 144 Assembly seats and 17 Lok Sabha seats have been given to the TDP. There are now two Lok Sabha and twenty-one Assembly seats allocated to the Jana Sena Party.
