Chennithala makes U-turn, says liquor policy UDF's boldest step

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, who left the party red-faced with his remarks that the previous UDF government's liquor policy did not have the desired results during the Assembly polls, made a U-turn on his remarks.

As the remarks invited criticism from the UDF allies and KPCC chief V M Sudheeran, Chennithala no Wednesday said the liquor policy was a boldest step taken by the UDF. He said there were no disagreements in the front over the matter.

“The ‘Kala Kaumudi’ magazine that published my interview distorted my words. There is no different opinion in the Front on the matter. The liquor policy was the boldest step of the UDF government,” he said.

Chennithala in an interview to ‘Kala Kaumudi’ magazine had stated that the liquor policy of the Congress-led UDF government had not benefited the Front on expected lines during the Assembly polls.

"Though we expected an overwhelming response from the people on the liquor policy, it was not so," he said.

While Chennithala, who was the Home Minister in the previous government went incommunicado after the publication of the interview, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy refused to react.

KPCC President V M Sudheeran said there was no need for a reconsideration on the UDF's liquor policy as of now.

IUML, a Congress ally, said it did not believe that UDF had lost the polls due to the excise policy.

However, Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan wanted UDF and Congress to clarify their stand in the backdrop of Chennithala's remarks.

"Does Congress, IUML, KPCC President endorse the views of Chennithala?" he asked.