PARTY NO BAR: HOW POLITICAL STAKES ADD UP IN LIQUOR

In change of guard in Punjab, only the ‘majority stakes’ seem to change in business. Like before, both Akalis and Congress leaders have got the biggest pie in the liquor trade. Congress MLAs Amrik Dhillon and Balbir Sidhu have bagged contracts in Ropar, Sangrur and Patiala districts, while Gurdaspur and Fatehgarh Sahib have gone to firms patronised by Gurmehar Majithia, elder brother of former SAD minister Bikram Majithia. Former SAD MLA Deep Malhotra has bagged contracts in Faridkot and Bathinda districts and Shiv Lal Doda, who is in jail in a murder case, is the new ‘liquor king’ of Punjab through his brother Avinash Doda, who has bagged lion’s share in Ludhiana and stakes in Barnala, Moga and Ferozepur. Principal secretary, excise and taxation, Anurag Aggarwal, said the government gave option of draw of lots but contractors did not participate. “So, in the second round, we made large groups,” he said. Excise and taxation commissioner VP Singh did not provide any details.