Tamil Nadu goes Bihar way, favours prohibition in the state

Tamil Nadu goes Bihar way, favours prohibition in the state

Lucknow: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has found a new ally in Amma. Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalitha, fulfilling her pre-poll promise, has introduced prohibition in her state, like him.

To the admiration of her supporters, she held a meeting on Monday soon after taking oath of office and secrecy, and decided to introduce prohibition, to the disappointment of guzzlers.

Similarity between the two chief ministers, one in the east and another in deep south, however, ends here. The six-time chief minister would not like to ban liquor in one-go unlike her Bihar counterpart. In the first phase only 500 liquor shops have been asked to bring down shutters.

Nitish has also been different on another count. Unlike her he wavered. In the beginning he promised to ban only country liquor. But just a week late he went for a total ban. The reason is only known to him.

Another factor which keeps the two apart is that while Nitish would like to use it as a tool to achieve his priministerial ambition, although he denies that he has such a goal, Amma, has no such desire , at least at present.

Unmindful of criticism Nitish has planned a country-wide tour to lobby in favour of prohibition. After holding meetings in this regard in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh he has his eyes now on Rajasthan, particularly, Alwar, where some groups are agitating demanding an immediate ban on sale of liquor in the state.