Cong MP hits out at leaders for sparring over liquor policy

Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal, today termed as "unfortunate" the public debate by party leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and V M Sudheeran, on the liquor policy of previous UDF government and asked them to stop "creating division" among the partymen.
The issue was debated several times on various party fora and there was no need for discussing it further on a public platform, the MP said.
He was reacting to Chennithala's controversial remarks in an interview that the UDF government's liquor policy did not have the desired results in the recent assembly elections and KPCC chief Sudheeran countering it publicly.

"Washing the dirty linen over the liquor issue by senior Congress leaders will only break the morale of the party rank and file," Venugopal told PTI, targeting KPCC Chief Sudheeran and Chennithala, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
"It is unfortunate. Debating the issue of liquor policy on a public platform will create division in the party. Unfortunately here such efforts are being done by top party leaders themselves. If they have differences over the issue, they should sit together, discuss and sort it out," the former union minister said.
He said when party workers wish to launch a strong movement against "anti-people" policies of the LDF and BJP-led central governments, such "unhealthy" public debates on an issue like liquor policy would only break their morale.

The previous UDF government had closed down over 700 bars across the state and decided to bring in total prohibition in phases.