State BJP chief evades reply on tie-up with TDP

Visakhapatnam: Any government gets into a constructive mode but the YSRCP began its governance in a demolition mode, pointed out BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari.

Inaugurating a blood donation camp organised as a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday celebration organised at the party office in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, Purandeswari mentioned that the ruling party has been treading a path of vindictive politics right from the beginning it came to power.

When asked whether BJP will extend support to the JSP-TDP alliance in the ensuing elections, Purandeswari maintained that the decision over the alliance will be taken at the national level.

Speaking about TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest, Purandeswari said CID is investigating the case and the investigating agency is under the control of state government. She reiterated that it is not appropriate to hold BJP responsible for Naidu’s arrest.

Terming the Centre’s move for passing the Bill that reserves 33 per cent of seats for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies as another historic step towards women empowerment, the BJP state president said some of the political parties are claiming that it’s their decision. “The other parties would have tried to introduce the Bill but it is only the BJP-led NDA government’s efforts that helped in converting the Bill into the Act. It is historic to build a new Parliament building and the decade-long 33 percent reservation for women was the first Bill passed in it,” she explained.

Purandeswari mentioned that she had already met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and brought the debt-ridden status of Andhra Pradesh to her notice. Speaking about the irregularities spotted in liquor policy in AP, the BJP state president said a complaint will be filed with the CBI for an inquiry.

Later, Purandeswari visited King George Hospital’s gastroenterology ward to check on the condition of the alcoholics and health issues suffered by them.

Accompanied by BJP state general secretary Kashi Viswanatharaju, vice president P Vishnu Kumar Raju and BJP Visakhapatnam parliamentary district president Raveendra Medapati, Purandeswari interacted with liver cirrhosis patients and suggested them to give up drinking alcohol.

Currently, 52 patients are in critical condition. Of them, 39 suffer due to alcohol-related health issues, the doctors explained. Further, Purandeswari dashed a letter to Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya requesting to inspect and verify the quality of liquor manufactured in Andhra Pradesh and sought remedial measures

In the state of Andhra Pradesh, Purandeswari said in the letter, the YSRCP is doing the opposite of what has been promised and is focused on generating revenue through sale of cheap liquor at the cost of people’s health.

Liquor sales are monopolised by government corporations, and transactions are conducted exclusively in cash. Due to the significant price difference, unauthorised illegal liquor sales are rampant. While the actual sale is estimated to be between Rs.55,000 crore and 65,000 crore annually, only Rs.30,000 crore has been reported officially, she continued, adding that the rest is being pocketed in cash as no bills are being produced at the sale counters.

Advocating for a CBI and ED inquiry into the liquor scandal and seeking intervention, Purandeswari requested for the deployment of a team of experts to assess the quality of liquor brands produced in all the distilleries in AP and compile their adverse effects on health.

Also, she called for stringent quality standards for the production of the liquor-based beverages and underlined the need to either upgrade the existing subpar distilleries or close down as the state government is producing low standard liquor without any inspection or apprehension.