Patna: With voting for the first phase of Bihar elections just weeks away, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is now trying to woo women voters, which is the 46 per cent of the total electorate.
Nitish reached out to women voters by promising them a ban on liquor but there is some skepticism as well. "Prohibition laonga agar phir se aaya (If I come back to power I will ban liquor).
In the Naxal belt of Jehanabad, women are viewing Nitish's promise with cautious optimism.
Munni Devi, a resident, said, "The men spend all the money on alcohol, they don't care if there is money for food or not. I find it tough to digest that the government will be able to close down the liquor shops."
Along the banks of the Gandhak in Hajipur, women from the fishing community have similar worries. But the question that arises is can Bihar sacrifice Rs 2500 crore it earns through liquor taxes just to keep women happy.
For women liquor ban is a poll issue. "Prohibition is a poll issue for us. It will impact how and who we vote for," a woman said.
In the last two elections in Bihar, women have outvoted men and both times favoured Nitish. And when it was payback time, Nitish didn't disappoint them from sanctioning funds for sanitary napkins and cycles for school going girls to 50 per cent reservation in panchayat bodies and 35 per cent in the state police.
But it is his prohibition promise that is gaining maximum cheers from women.
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