Liquor ban in Bihar has once again emerged as a flashpoint ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to scrapping the liquor ban in Bihar if voted to power in the elections. The party claimed that the move would unlock nearly Rs 28,000 crore in revenue, which would then be leveraged to raise loans worth Rs 5-6 lakh crore from international financial institutions like the World Bank and the IMF.
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has repeatedly promised that the liquor ban will be revoked “within an hour” of his party forming the next government. Bihar’s prohibition law, introduced by the Nitish Kumar government, has prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol since April 2016.
Kumar Saurav’s expertise to be put in use
Speaking to reporters while welcoming Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Kumar Saurav to the party, Jan Suraaj Party national president Udai Singh said, “We have been maintaining that liquor prohibition in the state will be lifted immediately, if Jan Suraaj is voted to power in Bihar…The state will be able to save nearly Rs 28,000 crore revenue loss…which will be utilised to raise loans to the tune of Rs 5 to Rs 6 lakh crore from the World Bank and IMF.”
Singh highlighted Saurav’s expertise in finance and law, noting his previous role as country head of securitisation in a private bank in India. “We will use his expertise to raise Rs 5-6 lakh crore in loans, supported by the revenue saved after lifting liquor prohibition in Bihar,” the JSP president added.
On joining Jan Suraaj, Saurav clarified, “I have not quit Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) due to differences with Chirag Paswan. I joined Jan Suraaj to work with Prashant Kishor ji, who has been tirelessly working for the betterment of Bihar and its people.”