PNS|Vijayawada
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday accused the coalition government of orchestrating a false liquor scam to divert attention from the corruption charges against Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently out on bail.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP office in Tadepalli, Jagan claimed that junior officials and employees were being wrongfully arrested and coerced into giving statements, creating a counter-narrative to weaken the original case implicating Chandrababu.
He declared that June 4 would be observed as ‘Betrayal Day’ to expose the failures of the present government.
“The so-called liquor scam is a fabricated ploy to protect Chandrababu, who faces serious charges backed by documentary evidence,” Jagan said, accusing the government of manipulating the investigative process.
He condemned the arrests of individuals including Dhanunjay Reddy, Krishna Mohan Reddy, and Balaji Govindappa, a director at a multinational company, warning that such actions would harm the state’s investment climate.
Jagan dismissed statements by Vasudev Reddy and former MP Vijaysai Reddy as politically motivated, and alleged that business associate Raj Kasireddy was falsely implicated after resisting political pressure.
Referring to Chandrababu’s earlier tenure, Jagan alleged that tenders for liquor outlets were skewed in favour of five distilleries that secured 69% of orders, with privilege fees waived, resulting in a loss of Rs 5 crore to the exchequer. He claimed the TDP regime allowed private syndicates to dominate the liquor business and increased commissions without cabinet approval.
“In contrast, our government ensured transparency, raised taxes to curb consumption, and cracked down on unauthorised brands,” he said.
Jagan alleged that the state was facing an “undeclared emergency”, with a spate of politically driven arrests, including those of senior police officials. He said data on these incidents would soon be made public.
Responding to criticism over his government’s fiscal management, Jagan maintained that audit reports from the CAG and other institutions proved better economic performance under his rule, with higher growth and purchasing power.
He also reiterated allegations of large-scale corruption in the Amaravati capital project, pointing to inflated tenders, kickbacks via mobilisation advances, and irregular power purchase agreements (PPAs) worth Rs 11,000 crore. He criticised the issue of Rs 9,000 crore NMDC bonds as unconstitutional.
“The sand mafia has returned, power tariffs have gone up, and prime land is being handed over to favoured firms at throwaway prices,” Jagan alleged.
