The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Saturday criticized Jana Sena Party chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's actions at Kakinada Port on Friday, calling them a display of inefficiency and lack of administrative control.
“It is absurd for Pawan Kalyan to claim that port officials did not cooperate with him. Such complaints only highlight his lack of control over the administration,” said former YSRCP MLA from Kakinada, Kurasala Kannababu.
He further remarked that if the Deputy Chief Minister was not allowed into the port, it must have been on orders from someone in a higher position, raising questions and doubts about the incident.
Kannababu explained that Kakinada Anchor Port is a hub where rice from various places is brought in and exported to foreign countries.
He noted that the district collector had already seized Public Distribution System (PDS) rice from the port, and Pawan Kalyan’s dramatic visit seemed to reflect either ignorance of the situation or a lack of understanding of government operations.
He also pointed out that smuggling of PDS rice through the port has been an ongoing issue.
Referring to earlier interventions, Kannababu said Civil Supplies Minister Nandendla Manohar had previously seized PDS rice, which was released after a bank guarantee.
"How can the same load be seized again?" he questioned.
“The port is the only one operated by the state government. If there is no coordination between officials and ministers, it creates a very troubling situation,” he added.
Kannababu affirmed that the YSRCP had no involvement in the PDS rice scam but acknowledged that corruption is rampant at the port.
He alleged that visits by leaders like Manohar and Pawan Kalyan only increase the commission rates demanded by vested interests, further complicating the issue.
“This blame game ends up harming genuine exporters,” Kannababu concluded.