LDF will revoke liquor ban if voted to power, says Kodiyeri Balakrishnan

KOCHI: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on Wednesday the Left Democratic Front will cruise to a “historic win" in Kerala polls with its tally of seats touching the three-figure mark in the 140-seat assembly.

Balakrishnan said that the LDF will not support liquor prohibition if voted to power. The bloc's policy would be to promote abstinence.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Balakrishnan alleged that the Congress and the BJP have entered into an "unholy alliance" in the state. The two parties have agreed to support each other in some key constituencies.

The BJP wants to open its account in Kerala while the Congress wants a continuity of its government. The alliance between the two parties is to achieve these objectives, he said. Balakrishnan said for the Left Front, the 2016 assembly election will be a repeat of 2006 when it won 98 seats in the 140-seat assembly.

He said instead of introducing prohibition, the LDF would promo te abstinence from liquor. Awareness programmes on the ill-effects of liquor would be launched. And the organisations that work in the field of liquor abstinence would be encouraged. The total availability of liquor would be brought down, he added.

He rejected the UDF's charge that the CPM would reopen bars. When AK Antony banned arrack, he also had raised a similar charge. He said the LDF will reintroduce arrack, which he had banned. "Though we won, we did not reintroduce arrack sales," he said. "Please remember that when the bars were closed, Pinarayi Vijayan had welcomed the decision," he added.

Balakrishnan rejected the charge that the CPM promo tes violence. He said in the five years when the UDF was in power, 28 CPM workers were killed. Of this, 17 were killed by RSS men. The others were killed by Congress, IUML and SDPI workers. "Three Congressmen were killed in Thrissur by their own party men. And still they say that we promote violence," he said. Balakrishnan, said the LDF, if voted to power, will maintain law and order.