One of the most docile districts of the State, Vizianagaram hit the headlines, as the town turned now into a battlefield with the Samaikyandhra agitators on ransacking spree targeting properties of PCC chief and the State transport minister Botsa Satyanarayana. Botsa’s soft stance on the State bifurcation from the beginning might definitely be a reason to the anger of public.

Botsa was repeatedly accused of selfish motives of becoming Chief Minister to the divided Seemandhra state. But, the gravity of the enragement of the unrelenting public indicates that there is more to that problem than meets the eye.
After Union cabinet’s approval of Telangana note on October 3, protesters in Vizianagaram have been on the violent spree on Botsa properties. They damaged and torched Satya College, run by Botsa; the office of Satya Cable Network was set ablaze and the agitators did not allow the fire brigade to knock down flames; barged into the Janapriya Bar and Restaurant on main road and ransacked it and even the mob targeted Botsa houses and offices too.
“He robbed public money through liquor mafia. Now, he put up pride of Telugus for sale in Delhi.” – this was the common statement of any protester to the media.
Thus, the anger, followed by spontaneous violence of the public was possibly reactionary and it was recurrently heard in the retorts of the protesters.

Liquor trade behind public tirade?

Liquor trade is the prime factor of the swift elevation of Botsa Satyanaraya (Sattibabu, as he is called fondly by aides) as supreme power in state politics with in no time piling up exuberant wealth.
Belonging to a mediocre family, grown as one among ten children, Botsa has no chance of getting billions of rupees unexpectedly. That boon is gifted by the grandeur of liquor trade. Botsa implements his own mark excise policy in Vizianagaram. When he was MP and representing Vizianagaram constituency, he seemingly decided that it was necessary to obtain liquor trade to hoard wealth and to continue as a tremendous power in politics. He unveiled liquor syndicates combining with his brother Adi Babu. He utilised his whole power to run liquor shops instead of devoting his full time to public service as a responsible minister.
Resultantly, while Vizianagaram district has 202 liquor shops, 160 out of them are run by the so-called Botsa followers.

Sovereignty of syndicate
Botsa, using his influence, got many loyal officials appointed in his district.  Particularly, all the excise officers are known for their servitude. Tenders would be called or the excise rides would be held as per the instructions of Botsa. A tiny liquor syndicate was also doing business in the district with nearly forty shops in Parvatipuram Division. But those shops were frequently raided by the excise authorities, in connivance of Botsa to terrify them. The officers are always alert and prompt in discharging duties very sincerely and pay their sudden visits, particularly to those ‘problematic’ shops. Botsa was so fastidious that if that liquor agency did not adhere his syndicate would not exist in that area.
He extended this maneuver with all the shops in the whole district, snatching them under his iniquitous shadow. There are twelve liquor shops in Vijayanagaram city, out of them eleven bars belong to Botsa’s men. And in the district, one hundred and fifty shops are also run by the followers of him. All the shops in the district sell liquor as per the suggested rates of his family.

Tender at the stage of “tender”

Botsa sattibabu jugglery starts off even at the stage of offering tenders as per norms of excise policy. In his district, nobody should dare achieve liquor shops through a winning tender. If at all, anybody dares such feat, his goons enter the scene and serve severe warnings to them and made them flee from the sight.  For years Botsa Sattibabu’s family members have strengthened their position in liquor trade. In new intrigues, the family members of the minister are undertaking so many schemes to reinforce their monopoly in the field. They manage in seizing shops in the name of their followers, clerks of their institutions.
Whopping Rs 400 crore business

There is a whopping income of Rs. 400 crore from annual sales of liquor from 202 wine shops and 34 bars in tiny Vizianagaram district. The syndicate, headed by Adibabu, brother of Sattibabu, decides the margin over the MRP (maximum retail price). At an average, Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 of extra amount was decided over one quarter bottle of liquor. Besides the income, the family members of the minister were getting 10 per cent share from another smaller syndicate being in force in Parvatipuram area.

Vizianagaram is known for its cultural heritage for centuries. Now, the historical place of dynasties was turned to be Botsa’s liquor dynasty. The grapes of wrath in the minds of public have been filling and growing heavy for the vintage, and the present fury might be that.