Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu generally cares a damn for Sakshi, the media house owned by his arch rival YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. He does not take any news report that is carried by Sakshi.
But on Tuesday, the Naidu government was forced to succumb to the expose made by Sakshi with regard to supply of Heritage brand buttermilk to people across the State.
It may be mentioned that Naidu had ordered supply of buttermilk sachets to people free of cost in all the 13 districts to overcome heat for about 45 days.
Accordingly, the government released Rs 39 crore for the scheme at the rate of Rs 3 crore for each district for purchase of buttermilk.
However, Sakshi exposed that the government had given instructions to the district administrations to purchase buttermilk only from Heritage Foods, owned by Naidu family.
In Vizianagaram district, district collector reportedly issued written order to the officials to purchase buttermilk only from Heritage, though there were other government dairies like Visakha Dairy and other cooperative milk units besides other brands.
With the media expose landing him in an embarrassing position, Naidu asked the officials to purchase buttermilk from all the other dairies as well. On Tuesday, the Collector gave the orders and appealed to the media not to make an issue out of it.
“Since curd was available only with Heritage, I had to give the order,” he explained.
