assembly-elections

Updated: Apr 10, 2016 17:18 IST

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday assured alcohol prohibition in the state in a phased manner if voted back to power in the upcoming assembly elections.

Kickstarting her election campaign in Chennai, Jayalalithaa, also the AIADMK general secretary, said it is not possible to prohibit liquor sales in the state with one single signature and has to be done step by step.

Addressing a massive public rally held at the Island Grounds here, she said: “If AIADMK comes back to power then prohibition will be introduced in phases. The timing of the liquor shops will be reduced, the bars will be closed, rehabilitation centres will be opened and the number of liquor outlets will be reduced.”

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She charged DMK president M Karunanidhi for lifting prohibition in 1971 and introducing liquor to a generation that did not know about the drink.

Karunanidhi does not have any right to speak about prohibition, she said.

She also introduced her party’s 21 candidates standing for election in the assembly constituencies here and surrounding places.

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The announcement comes after Bihar recently completely banned the sale of alcohol, including liquor at bars and hotels.

Prohibition was one of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s main campaign promises to women voters in state elections last year.

Three other states have complete alcohol bans, Gujarat, Nagaland and Manipur. However bootleggers do brisk business in all states with prohibition laws.