Quality liquor at reduced prices: Chandrababu Naidu’s spirited poll promise ahead of Andhra Pradesh elections

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu has promised to ensure the availability of quality liquor at lower prices if his party is elected to power in the state. Naidu made the promise at a poll rally Kuppam where he is also a candidate in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

“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,” Naidu said. Assembly elections in the state are being held simultaneously with Lok Sabha elections in April-May.

Ironically, the TDP supremo also blasted the incumbent government of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy for reneging on its 2019 promise to ban liquor in the state. On the other hand, Naidu said that the youth demanded that liquor prices be slashed.

“Prices of all commodities have risen 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,” Naidu added.

The sale of liquor in Andhra Pradesh is carried out only through government outlets. As per official data, the state collected around Rs 24,000 crore through excise revenue in 2022-23, up from over Rs 17,000 crore in 2019-20.

Notably, the TDP chief has often accused the YSRCP government of providing poor-quality liquor while profiting thousands of crores from increased prices. TDP’s ally, the Jana Sena Party, led by actor Pawan Kalyan, has also accused the Jagan government of supplying poor-quality liquor.

He alleged that CM Reddy had “looted” Rs 40,000 crore through liquor sales and questioned why digital payments were not accepted for the purchase of liquor. “Where is the money going? About 74 per cent of the total liquor sold is being supplied by just 16 companies,” he said, adding that people would fall sick if they continued to consume the liquor being sold in the state under the current dispensation.

Naidu is a two-time Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh who served from 1995 to 2004 and again from 2014 to 2019. His party, the TDP, has tied up with the Jana Sena for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP-TDP-Jana Sena alliance recently finalised its seat-sharing in the state.

As per the agreement, BJP would contest six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. The TDP, on the other hand, will be in fray in 17 Lok Sabha and 144 Assembly seats while the Jana Sena will field candidates in two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly constituencies.