The ghost of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy seems to be haunting the Andhra Pradesh government.  After losing a couple seats in the recent by-elections, the government is now in a problem due to a liquor policy that was started by YS Rajashekara Reddy. He had started the auction of liquor licenses. On the other hand, the state government has granted 50 crore to fight alcoholism in the state.

While many women in the state continue to fight liquor, the booze vendors are selling the liquor above the maximum retail price besides supplying liquor to unlicensed belt shops.  In order to put an end to this, the chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has pressed Anti-Corruption Bureau in to the action but this has created differences between the duo as Bothsa Satyanarayana has alleged links with liquor barons in Vizianagaram. There is news in the air that Bothsa Satyanarayana convinced the Congress high command that the raids by ACB were targeted against him. It has to be mentioned here that Bothsa was eyeing chief minister’s seat when the news that YSR assassination came in as a shock to everyone in the party.

The political observers believe that liquor scam will apparently have an impact on the by-polls to 18 constituencies in the state.  (Phani)