UPDATED 24/3/2011 5:35:17 PM
Chennai: In run up to the forthcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, arch rivals DMK and AIDMK have started wooing voters with slew of promises. For instance,AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa showered perks in the manifesto, which she released here after filing her nomination from temple town of Srirangam, moving away from the rural Andipatti constituency.
In a bid to woo women voters, Ms. Jayalalithaa promised four gms of gold for ‘Thali’ (mangalsutra) free of cost to poor, besides cable TV connections at subsidised rates.
The freebies promised by AIADMK marks a U-turn from Ms. Jayalalithaa’s opposition to such populist schemes announced by the DMK in 2006 elections, which was perceived to have tilted the balance in its favour.
Apparently targeting the Maran brothers who hold a near monopoly over the cable TV distribution across the state, she also promised nationalisation of multi-system operators.
On the other hand, DMK chief DMK patriarch and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi launched his campaign from his home turf for the April 13 Assembly elections, promising more freebies than listed in the party`s manifesto.
Karunanidhi, who will be contesting from Tiruvarur, shifting from Chepauk in Chennai, said the DMK, if voted back to power, would give free laptops to all students, going beyond the promise in the manifesto that it would be given only to OBCs, SCs and Sts.
The response to the promised scheme in the past four days was tremendous, which emboldened him to expand it, he said. Karunanidhi would be filing his papers on Thursday.
He said all citizens who had attained the age of 58 would be considered senior citizens and will be eligible for freebus travel in the state while the manifesto had stated it.
(With inputs from PTI)
Courtesy:News24.
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