Congress reaching consensus on re-opening 418 Kerala bars?

State Home Minister and former party chief Ramesh Chennithala, acting as a mediator between Sudheeran and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, appeared to have persuaded the former, who is a known anti-liquor campaigner.

Chennithala put up a suggestion before the Congress that among the 418 bars, 67 bars come under the category of two star hotels and should be given the license to open and a district collector led committee should inspect the quality of the other bars and those found wanting in facilities should be given a reasonable time frame to get things in order.

Sudheeran Monday came under heavy fire from social leader and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan who said that its high time that the Congress leaders rein in Sudheeran "who is not a practical politician" and think of the effect of the closures on the families of those working in the establishments.

With so many bars closed down, huge crowds could be seen in front of the retail outlets of the state government as these were the only place to buy liquor.