Daggubati Purandeswari, the president of the BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit, has issued a challenge to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government. She called upon the government to publicly disclose the names of the owners of liquor manufacturing companies operating within the state by the evening of October 14. Purandeswari alleges that many of these companies have come under the control of ruling party leaders through intimidation and coercion.
In a press conference held in the morning, Purandeswari vehemently rejected the government's assertion and the claims made by YSRCP leaders that only 18.70% of the population consumes alcohol. She cited data from the National Family Health Survey and CRISIL, which reported alcohol consumption rates of 23.50% (1.29 crore) and 34.50% (1.80 crore), respectively, among a population of 5.31 crore.
According to Purandeswari, the BJP's conservative estimate indicates that approximately 80 lakh people in the state consume alcohol, with each individual spending no less than ₹200 per day. This results in an estimated annual revenue of around ₹57,600 crore for the state treasury.
Purandeswari challenged YSRCP leaders and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to provide the basis for their assertion that alcohol sales had decreased. She insisted that alcohol was readily available not only at liquor stores but also in private residences.
Additionally, Purandeswari questioned why liquor stores do not accept digital payments when even street vendors are using platforms like PhonePe. She alleged that this practice is intended to channel large amounts of cash to the "Tadepalli palace" (the CM's camp office).
Furthermore, Purandeswari raised concerns about the quality of alcohol sold in the state, suggesting that it contains harmful substances leading to kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and other health issues that can be fatal. She pointed out that there has been a significant 25% increase in the number of such cases in hospitals. The presence of hazardous chemicals in liquor has been confirmed by the Chennai-based SGS Laboratory.
A study conducted by CRISIL revealed that Andhra Pradesh had the highest alcohol consumption rate, surpassing Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Purandeswari also questioned why Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, in the past, had the courage to request a CBI inquiry into the murder of TDP leader Paritala Ravi and allegations of corruption in the Hyderabad Outer Ring Road (ORR) project to dispel doubts. She wondered why the current Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, had not pursued a similar path if he and his government had nothing to hide.
Purandeswari emphasized that her party had no involvement in the arrest of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The BJP had criticized Naidu's arrest due to procedural irregularities. Regarding Naidu's alleged involvement in the skill development scam and other cases, she stressed that it was the courts' responsibility to make determinations.
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