Will Samrat Chaudhary remove Nitish's liquor ban in Bihar?

Bihar enters a new era as the turban-clad warrior of the BJP, Samrat Chaudhary, has replaced Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister. Chaudhary will take the oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Wednesday in a massive transition.

As Bihar gets its first BJP CM, the question remains: What happens to the liquor ban? Known for his aggressive style, Chaudhary has previously hinted at reforms, but being in the topmost office in the state requires one to have a balance between social reform and administrative reality.

For Chaudhary and the BJP at large, tinkering with the liquor ban could also mean a dent in women votes.

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What did Samrat Chaudhary say on the liquor ban in Bihar?

Earlier this year, Chaudhary said that Kumar's prohibition policy has led to a significant loss in annual revenue.

Chaudhary said, "The liquor ban is costing Bihar approximately 28,000-30,000 crore rupees annually, a loss in a state that doesn't even have 70,000 crore rupees in revenue. Despite this, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the monumental decision in 2016 to ban liquor in Bihar. Even after the ban, the state functioned so well. If there is one historic decision in Nitish Kumar's life, it is prohibition."

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Does he plan to recall the ban? 

He recently clarified that there is currently no question of recalling the liquor law. Previously, Chaudhary also issued warnings to the liquor mafia, asserting that those involved in the illegal trade will not be spared.

This, however, is a change of heart for Chaudhary. Before joining the government as the Deputy Chief Minister, he was a critic of how the ban was implemented.

In May 2023, Samrat Chaudhary claimed that the liquor ban turned Bihar into a state of home delivery for alcohol and challenged JD(U) leaders to undergo blood tests to prove that they were not drinking.

He had further argued that the policy was a failure on the ground and led to the rise of a black market.