LDF to cash in on UDF rift on liquor policy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the crisis in the ruing UDF deepening over the liquor policy, the opposition LDF is planning to unleash a campaign combining changes in liquor policy and bribe allegations levelled by bar owners against Finance Minister K M Mani.

The LDF wants to campaign hard on the issue saying that the government had tweaked the policy as part of a deal with the bar owners.

The Left would also target KPCC president V M Sudheeran who has all along been claiming that the liquor policy would be implemented without any change.

CPM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Saturday alleged that KPCC president V M Sudheeran’s and Muslim League’s stand on prohibition was a farce.

The KPCC president who failed miserably to prevent the change in liquor policy should resign immediately, he added.

He said Muslim League, despite having five members in Cabinet, could not prevent the tweaking of abkari policy. “League is now making hollow claims about its commitment to prohibition,” he said.

The CPM politburo member said if a policy which does not have the backing of KPCC president is implemented then the government has no right to continue in office.