Netas all set to have voters ‘swinging’

By M H Ahssan

Liquor, not aam aadmi issues, could ‘swing’ votes this election in Andhra Pradesh, or so it seems going by proclivities of political parties. Even as the Election Commission begins to close down belt shops (unlicensed liquor outlets) in the state, political parties aren’t perturbed, their confidence stemming largely from the stock of alcohol they are already sitting pretty on.

Political parties are busy ensuring that liquor flows like water in April in the run up to the polling date. The 35 distilleries in the state, going by their 2004 election experience, are expecting a surge in demand by 30 per cent by March end. Even local wine dealers are expecting a 25 per cent hike in sales just before the elections. That there are more parties and more money being invested in these polls, they say the demand would be more this time around.

A senior leader rattles out the liquor economics of the elections: any “serious candidate’’ worth his or her salt is keeping aside Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore on ‘voter-wooing expenses’. While this includes daily biryani feasts in slums and rural areas in the week preceding the polling date, a chunk of this money would go towards purchase of liquor. “They will either distribute quarters or even give away full bottles for a group of people,’’ he says.

Distillers in the state say they are already gearing up to meet the surge in demand for A grade liquor in April. “The industry is ready to meet the demand. We are already working on increasing supply,’’ says T Nagaprasad, executive vice-president, Sovereign Distillers. Liquor industry insiders say that the competition among locally distilled brands would be stiff this time. The trend of distributing liquor during campaigns in AP picked up in the last two elections, when the spending of candidates shot significantly, say observers.

Sourcing liquor is never really a problem. The official route of buying in wholesale through a retailer from the Andhra Pradesh Beverages Corporation Ltd. is usually taken, but there are other ways too. “Many leaders have backdoor partnerships with dealers so that the liquor costs less,’’ says a dealer, adding that most of the time party leaders come with a “limitless budget’’ for purchase of liquor.

This time, apart from locally distilled alcohol, even premium brands are likely to sell in significant numbers to keep the morale of supporters ‘high’. Nevertheless, parties in search of reasonable liquor are also sourcing it from Goa and Chattisgarh.

“While liquor plays an important role in most states during elections, in AP the spending on it is among the highest,’’ says VBJ Chelikani Rao, citizen activist. When activists like Rao met senior politicians last week to ask them to refrain from giving out money and liquor to voters, some admitted rather candidly that their request came in too late. “Our stock is ready,’’ activists were told.

Voters too are habituated to this election treat with some even considering it as their ‘election right’. Predictably, campaign organisers plan to kickstart their liquor distribution and non-vegetarian feasts in the first week of April. Liquor flow would increase just before the polling date, when supporters go around telling people to join the feast and not cook at home. In addition to these feasts, some parties are keen on a goodwill gesture— of slipping Rs 1,000 notes into voters’ hands.