Amaravati: Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of making the state the “number one hub” of spurious liquor trade.
Referring to a recent bust in Mulakalacheruvu, Annamayya district, Jagan alleged that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders themselves were directly involved in running a counterfeit liquor factory, which he said exposed the “deep-rooted mafia” operating under Naidu’s leadership.
“This is not just illegal trade; it is organized crime that endangers lives and loots the state exchequer,” Jagan wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The YSRCP chief alleged that Naidu deliberately dismantled the state-run liquor distribution system and replaced it with a syndicate-driven private network controlled by TDP leaders. He claimed belt shops, permit rooms, and illicit liquor units operate with the party’s patronage, ensuring profits are siphoned systematically from grassroots to top leadership.
Quoting media reports, Jagan said, “One out of every three liquor bottles sold in the state is spurious. This is the scale of danger TDP has created.” He also cited data from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to point out that despite the mushrooming of liquor outlets under the TDP model, excise revenue grew by only 3.10% in FY 2025-26 (₹6,992.77 crore) compared to FY 2024-25 (₹6,782.21 crore), when sales were restricted to government shops. “Natural growth itself should have been 10%, but syndicates are looting public money,” he charged.
According to Jagan, fake liquor rackets have now spread across North Andhra, the Godavari districts, and Rayalaseema. He further alleged that probes are being deliberately weakened to shield senior TDP leaders. In the Mulakalacheruvu case, he said police tried to pin blame on an outsider while protecting influential party leaders.
“This entire racket operates with full knowledge, direction, and protection from Naidu and his network. People’s health and lives are being traded for the illegal fortunes of one party,” Jagan alleged.
Demanding accountability, he held CM Naidu directly responsible for what he described as a systematic mafia in the state’s liquor sector. “For the sake of personal wealth, you are gambling with public health and robbing the state treasury,” Jagan declared.
