Prashant Kishor vows to end alcohol ban in Bihar within 60 minutes of taking office – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Political strategist turned politician and Jan Suraj Chief Prashant Kishor on Saturday vowed to immediately end the controversial liquor ban in Bihar if voted to power, a claim he made just days before his party’s launch day on October 2.
In an interview with ANI, Kishor said, “There is no need for any special preparation for the 2nd. We have been preparing for the last two years. If the Jan Suraj government is formed, we will lift the ban on alcohol within an hour.”
The alcohol ban, introduced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in 2016, has been a polarising issue in Bihar, with critics arguing that it has failed to curb alcohol consumption and has had a negative impact on the state’s economy.
When asked about RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s yatra, Kishor wished him well and said, “My best wishes to him. At least he has come out of his house and is mingling with the public.”
Kishor did not hold back when he raised the issue of ongoing tensions between Tejashwi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, fuelled by Tejashwi’s claim that Kumar had apologised for joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Kishor said both leaders have caused damage to Bihar and urged them to leave the state.
“This issue is between Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav and it doesn’t matter who apologizes to whom with folded hands; both have caused damage to Bihar. The people of Bihar have been through this for the last 30 years. We urge both of them to leave Bihar,” he added.
In a separate meeting in Bihar’s Bhojpur, Kishor criticised Tejashwi Yadav’s educational background and ability to lead the state’s development. He pointed out the irony of “a 9th class dropout” leading the way for Bihar’s development, and questioned Tejashwi’s understanding of basic economic concepts such as GDP and GDP growth.
Kishor argued that Tejashwi’s only claim to leadership is that he is the son of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav and that he is the RJD leader due to family ties.
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Abhiyan will launch a political party on October 2, coinciding with the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The campaign, which is mainly active in Bihar, plans to hold eight separate state-level rallies with over 1.5 lakh functionaries.
Kishor recently claimed that around one crore people would join Jan Suraaj if the party became a full-fledged party. He plans to contest all 243 seats in the upcoming Bihar elections next year.