Hyderabad: Senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and Siddipet MLA Harish Rao on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Indian National Congress government, accusing it of running the state “for the benefit of liquor companies” while turning its back on farmers.

Speaking at a “Chit Chat” programme at Telangana Bhavan, the former minister alleged large-scale irregularities in the Excise Department, claiming that microbrewery and liquor outlet licences were being distributed through political influence rather than transparent procedures. He described the situation as the beginning of another major “excise scam”, which he said would eventually come to light along with other alleged scandals, including those linked to Singareni.

Rao claimed that out of 110 applications received for microbrewery licences, 25 were allegedly set aside under political and ministerial quotas. According to him, 21 licences were reserved under the quota of a senior leader and four under that of a minister. He further alleged that unofficial deals involved payments of ₹1.80 crore per licence, with the bulk of the amount meant for political leaders and intermediaries.

The BRS leader also accused the government of bypassing the mandatory lucky draw system while issuing wine shop licences. He said liquor supply companies were facing unpaid dues of nearly ₹4,500 crore, with payments allegedly pending for the past 16 months. Rao claimed that several multinational liquor firms had warned the government of halting supplies due to non-payment, a move he said could hit state revenues.

Linking the issue to agrarian distress, Rao alleged that while farmers in parts of Sangareddy and Ghanpur were facing acute water shortages, beer manufacturing units in Sangareddy continued to receive uninterrupted water supply on official directions. He also accused the government of failing to honour promises made to the Goud community, including enhanced insurance coverage.

Analysis: The allegations sharpen the political battle over excise policy in Telangana, an area that directly impacts state revenues and livelihoods. With farmers already under pressure from water scarcity, Rao’s charges could resonate strongly in rural constituencies if left unanswered. This assessment is analytical opinion; all factual claims above are drawn from the original report.