Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday vowed to legalise toddy a traditional palm-based drink in Bihar if the Mahagathbandhan comes to power in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Parsa, Saran, the leader of Opposition and Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate said toddy would be exempted from the state’s stringent prohibition laws, which have been in effect since 2016.
Bihar has remained a dry state since April 2016, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s government imposed a total ban on the manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor.
While the law was intended to tackle alcohol abuse, it has drawn widespread criticism over claims of misuse and the rise of illicit liquor networks.
Tejashwi Yadav’s statement comes just days ahead of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 6. At the rally, he also launched a strong attack on the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), accusing the state government of failing to maintain law and order.
“Saran is witnessing murder, dacoity, abduction and loot every day. But Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is least bothered about it. He never comes to console the victims. This is sheer insensitivity on the part of the government,” Tejashwi said, urging people to vote for the INDIA bloc for better policing and governance.
He reiterated his campaign promises, including his pledge to provide one government job per family if the INDIA bloc forms the government.
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“People of Bihar are fed up with unemployment and price rise. They want a government that will ensure ‘padhai, dawai, kamai, sichai’ — better education, healthcare, employment and irrigation facilities,” he said.
Tejashwi described the alliance’s upcoming manifesto as a “vision document” for Bihar’s future, adding that it would serve as a roadmap for development.
Speaking to reporters, he referred to it as the “Tejashwi Pran Patra” or Tejashwi’s resolution document underscoring his commitment to bring change and improve governance in the state.
The Mahagathbandhan, which comprises the RJD, Congress and Left parties, is seeking to unseat the ruling NDA in a tightly contested election, where issues of employment, law and order, and social welfare have taken centre stage.
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