YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday said that his party would introduce prohibition in phases if it came to power in the 2019 elections in Andhra Pradesh. 

Jagan, who is presently on a padayatra, was speaking to women at Chimakurthy, where they complained that alcohol had made their lives hell, as their husbands and sons were addicted to liquor. 

He said that the YSRCP would actively work in closing down belt shops that sold illicit liquor, and also move ahead with phased prohibition.

This is not the first time that Jagan has made such a claim. 

In July last year while he was still planning his padyatra, Jagan said that the ban would be in three phases, beginning with a massive awareness programme and ending with rehabilitation of alcoholics.

Jagan launched his six-month-long 'padyatra' or foot march in November last year, virtually kicking off his campaign for the 2019 assembly elections.

He said that he will cover 3,000 km across all 13 districts of the state to interact with people and know their problems.

The Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly began the foot march after paying tributes at the grave of his father and late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy at Idupulapaya in YSR Kadapa district.

Alleging that the state has a "mafia government", he called upon people to uproot it. Stating that he is not afraid of court cases, the young leader said he had no hunger for money. "Even if I die, I want to remain in your hearts," he said amid loud cheers from the crowd.

Jagan hopes to recreate the magic of his late father YSR, who had launched a similar 'padyatra' to end nearly a decade-long rule of Chandrababu Naidu in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2004.

IANS inputs