Patna: During the confidence vote debate in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary emerged as one of the government’s most assertive voices, forcefully defending both the leadership of Samrat Choudhary and the controversial liquor prohibition policy.
He invoked the post-2020 political scenario, highlighting how the Bharatiya Janata Party, despite emerging stronger numerically, chose to back Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister.
According to him, this demonstrated the political maturity and cohesion of the National Democratic Alliance.
He suggested that the current consensus behind Samrat Choudhary’s leadership is a continuation of that same tradition — prioritising stability over individual ambition.
The people of Bihar have supported the NDA for the last 20 years, and the situation has now emerged that the second generation of NDA leaders is leading the state.
At the centre of his speech was a firm, unambiguous stance on Bihar’s prohibition law — introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Vijay Choudhary made it clear that the policy is non-negotiable, will neither be rolled back nor diluted, but instead enforced with greater strictness.
In his view, the law’s effectiveness is reflected in the fact that violators are being actively apprehended and punished, countering opposition claims that the policy has failed.
He framed prohibition not merely as a legal measure but as a social reform initiative, arguing that its intent and impact go beyond enforcement to shaping societal behaviour.
By defending it so strongly, he reaffirmed the ruling alliance’s commitment to a policy that has long been a political and ideological cornerstone in Bihar.
Despite the government’s confident defence, the liquor prohibition law once again stood out as a major fault line in Bihar politics.
Vijay Choudhary took a sharp dig at Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, questioning his current criticism of the NDA government.
He remarked that when prohibition was being enacted, Tejashwi Yadav was the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. Now, his criticism implies a lack of consistency or seriousness in the opposition’s stance.
This comment sparked visible tension in the House and added to the already charged atmosphere.
While the ruling coalition projects it as a successful social experiment, the opposition continues to question its effectiveness, implementation challenges, and broader economic implications.
(IANS)
