Liquor politics hots up ahead of Madhya Pradesh Assembly election

Offering alcohol to the voter as inducement is commonly heard. But in MP, in the election year, it is opposition to liquor that’s being used as a political handle.

While the influence of former chief minister Uma Bharti, of the BJP, on the proposed excise policy of Madhya Pradesh is an example of this, another former chief minister Kamal Nath, of the Congress, has said under Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s leadership the state has become “Madira Pradesh” (liquor state) because drink is cheap and foodgrain not so.

Chief Minister Chouhan replied to say Nath had insulted the 850 million “innocent, hardworking, duty-bound and patriotic people” by describing the state in such terms. In response Nath and his media advisor Piyush Babele shared a screenshot of Chouhan’s old tweet: “The Congress government has taken a destructive decision of turning Madhya Pradesh into Madira Pradesh. They want to drown the state in alcohol addiction.”

Under the new excise policy, the state government has decided to close “ahatas” in the state, and end drinking at bars. From April onwards liquor will be sold only at liquor shops.

Staunch anti-liquor advocate Uma Bharti took to Twitter, hailing the new liquor policy as ‘‘a historic and revolutionary step by the government’’.

Senior journalist Sandeep Pouranik said: ‘‘This is election year and due to the actions of Uma Bharti, the state government was under pressure. She was seen throwing stones and cow dung at liquor shops. The state government has cleverly found this way to satisfy Bharti and half the state’s population, i.e. women.”

No ban has been imposed on the sale of liquor but a message has been given, said Pouranik.

In December last year Bharti had said in a Lodhi community event: ‘‘I free the Lodhi community from political bondage. In election time I will come and tell everyone to vote for the BJP because I am a loyal soldier of my party. But I will not force you to vote for the BJP. I am bound with the party but you are not.”

The Lodhis fall in the Other Backward Classes, who comprise half the state’s voters, and are a deciding factor in Bundelkhand, where liquor consumption is an issue in rural areas.