Chennithala said he had only mentioned in the interview that the UDF govt would have continued to be in governance had the liquor policy been accepted as it is.
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Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has dismissed reports that he has a differing opinion over the liquor policy, after his interview to a vernacular magazine created a row.
IUML, a Congress ally, said it did not believe that UDF had lost the polls due to the excise policy.
Chennithala’s statement showed that the UDF’s liquor policy was a failure, he said.
Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan, meanwhile, pounced on the confusion in the UDF camp to once again hit out at the policy of alcohol prohibition.
The liquor policy was formed after discussions held with the congress and the UDF.
“There is no need to change it now”, he said.
The minister asked the UDF and the Congress to clarify whether it harboured the same view as Chennithala on the liquor policy. Left Front leaders have welcomed the statement, coming close on heels of tourism minister AC Moideen’s observation that the policy had adversely affected the tourism industry.
He said when party workers wish to launch a strong movement against “anti-people” policies of the LDF and BJP-led central governments, such “unhealthy” public debates on an issue like liquor policy would only break their morale.
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The previous UDF government had closed down over 700 bars across the state and made a decision to bring in total prohibition in phases.
