Jaya promises dry TN if voted back to power in upcoming polls

CHENNAI: Will Tamil Nadu go the Bihar way?

Chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa said Saturday she would ban liquor in the southern state if voted back to power.

But, she said, prohibition would be introduced in phases as it could not be achieved with a “single signature”. “Timings of liquor shops will be reduced, bars will be closed, rehabilitation centres opened and the number of liquor outlets reduced,” she said at a rally, kicking off her poll campaign.

Targeting her arch- rival, DMK chief M Karunanidhi, who has also supported prohibition, Jayalalithaa said it was he who lifted the ban in 1971 and introducing a generation to liquor.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had on Tuesday announced a complete ban on liquor sales in his state, keeping a poll promise.

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