PATNA: Nitish Kumar always wanted Bihar to be like Gujarat or Kerala when it comes to industrial growth or quality of life index. After 10 years in power he may not have quite achieved any of those goals, but he is set to catch up with the two states in another: a ban on booze.The Bihar chief minister announced on Thursday that if he is voted back to power, he will implement full prohibition. “There will be prohibition in the state if I am voted to power again,” the CM said at a public gathering in Patna on Thursday, to loud cheers from women in the audience.Kumar may or may not return to power in the assembly polls slated for the year-end, but the leap of faith could mean the end of the road for Bihar’s tipplers as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is set to match him in lowering the bar. Women’s organisations have been demanding full prohibition, complaining that the state’s liberal excise policy has led to liquor vends cropping up in every corner of the impoverished state.Even on Thursday, when Kumar was addressing the function, a few women raised slogans demanding prohibition. Taken aback by the surprise announcement, BJP said it is a poll ploy and lacked sincerity.“Why should he wait for three months to implement prohibition? It will take only a few minutes to enforce it,” said BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi Modi was not willing to detail where his party stood on the issue of prohibition in Bihar, but he said BJP believed consumption of alcohol should be discouraged.“It is not a question of what our official stand is, the situation varies from one state to another, and Gujarat happens to be the only state where there is total prohibition. Nitish Kumar is only enacting drama by promising prohibition. If he has the guts, let him implement prohibition now and BJP will wholeheartedly support such a move,” he told ET. As of now, Gujarat has full prohibition in effect while Kerala is moving towards that goal with a partial prohibition in effect. Prohibition has had its run in Bihar before. Karpoori Thakur as CM had banned booze in 1977, but alcohol returned one-and-a-half years later when Ram Sunder Das took over from Thakur.Kumar’s political partner, the Lalu Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal , too supported the move. “RJD will welcome any decision which the Nitish government takes in the interest of the people. RJD is of the view that the families of poor people suffer the most on account of alcohol consumption,” national spokesperson Manoj Jha told ET. It remains to be seen if the move will net votes for Kumar, but it is sure to drill a hole in the state’s finances. The existing excise policy has led to liquor outlets mushrooming in all corners, helping the state register a 15-fold increase in excise revenue during the past 10 years.