Liquor parties to woo voters disguised as community events, birthdays and parties

Hyderabad: Amid crackdown by the police and excise officials on liquor supply to voters and busts of liquor stashes meant for distribution, the practice is continuing under the guise of get-togethers, colony events and parties, sources said.

Such gatherings are organised by junior politicians, who were found to have brought in liquor from other states for the purpose. They said that even disregarding the outside procurement, gatherings are evading surveillance due to manoeuvres, such as hosting it under the names of non-political persons.

One such party on the city outskirts logged the attendance of 100 government employees with expensive liquor being served. The event was titled as a retirement function to evade authorities, it was found.

Multiple such instances are being recorded across the city, labelled as birthday parties, community gatherings, intellectual meetings and others, for employees hailing from various locations in the state and working in the city.

Since there is a close watch on liquor purchase in bulk, organisers are depending on liquor from other Goa, Maharashtra and Delhi, sneaking them through various routes, sources said.

Authorities, however, claimed that no such incident came to their notice and that there was a strict vigil, with the election commission directly monitoring such activities. “We have also stepped up surveillance at the airport, railway stations and road routes, and also on farmhouses and other places, where such gatherings might take place,” an official said.