No rift in UDF over liquor policy: KPCC president V M Sudheeran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Asserting that the ruling Congress-led UDF would go ahead with its decision to shut over 700 liquor bars, KPCC president V M Sudheeran today said there was no rift within the Congress or the coalition over the new liquor policy.

"There is no division in the Congress or UDF over the liquor policy. Now, the prime challenge is implementation of the policy," he told reporters after a party leadership meeting here.

The UDF Government had last month decided to shut all bars attached to hotels below five-star categories, laying the road map for total prohibition within a decade.

Kerala, which has one of the highest per capita consumption of liquor in the country, is bound to suffer a huge revenue loss by way of the decision.

The Government, however, has ruled out a re-look at the issue, holding that the social cost to be saved by drastically reducing availability of alcoholic drinks would be far higher than the revenue loss.