In what can be considered an awkward moment for the Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena Party president and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan has stepped into the politically sensitive issue of illegal liquor sales in Andhra Pradesh — a subject that does not fall directly under his administrative purview.
The excise portfolio is currently handled by senior TDP minister Kollu Ravindra. Yet, Pawan’s decision to openly review complaints of liquor being sold above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) has triggered fresh speculation over possible discomfort within the ruling coalition.
During interactions with MPs and MLAs at the Jana Sena Party’s General Body meeting, Pawan reportedly expressed strong displeasure over repeated public grievances that liquor outlets in several parts of the state are allegedly charging prices higher than government-approved rates.
An official tweet from the deputy chief minister’s office indicated that complaints have emerged not only from Kakinada district but from multiple regions across Andhra Pradesh, suggesting that the issue has become widespread and politically difficult to ignore.
Pawan Kalyan reportedly warned that such practices violate excise regulations and risk damaging the government’s credibility.
He instructed excise officials to maintain continuous surveillance and take swift action against shop owners involved in illegal overpricing.
Significantly, the tweet also tagged the excise department and Kollu Ravindra, underlining that the deputy CM expects immediate enforcement — a move that observers interpret as both administrative pressure and a public signal.
While the government may project the intervention as part of collective accountability, political circles note that Pawan’s direct criticism of lapses in a department controlled by the TDP carries deeper implications.
His remarks have created a degree of unease within coalition ranks, with some analysts suggesting that such public interventions could reflect growing divergences between Jana Sena and the TDP over governance style, departmental functioning, and political messaging.
With liquor regulation being a politically charged subject in Andhra Pradesh, Pawan’s entry into the debate has not only heightened public attention but also raised questions about whether the coalition partners are beginning to show visible cracks beneath the surface.
