The Hindu : DMK-Congress tie-up represents people's sentiments: Vasan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 12, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

DMK-Congress tie-up represents people's sentiments: Vasan

KUMBAKONAM, JAN. 11. The alliance between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) represented the ``sentiments of the people'' and was not opportunistic as described by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), said G.K.Vasan, State Congress president here today.

Speaking to presspersons, he said the alliance was the ``need of the hour'' as it was time to expose the misrule of the AIADMK and the BJP. On the other hand, the alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK would be ``opportunistic'' and if such an arrangement was forged, it would be a grave ``injustice'' to the people, Mr. Vasan said.

The BJP was in a hurry to hold elections. The sops announced through a mini-budget was only for ``winning elections''.

Mr. Vasan claimed the Congress-DMK alliance would sweep the polls in Tamil Nadu and Pondichery.

`TN should talk to Karnataka'

The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, without standing on ``any ego'', should talk to the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, and get water to save the standing crop in the delta districts, said Mr. Vasan.

Mr. Krishna, a fortnight ago, had once again called for talks on the Cauvery issue. Utilising this opportunity, Ms. Jayalalithaa should talk to him as she did with her counterpart in Andhra Pradesh for getting Krishna water. The situation in the delta was precarious with more water needed to save the crops.

The Mettur dam has been closed. Against 1,16,700 hectares of land on which samba would be cultivated in Thanjavur district, this year the crop had been raised only on 79,000 hectares. He demanded that Rs. 5,000 an acre be paid as drought relief, that too before election dates were announced, so that it might reach farmers in time. If elections are announced such relief measures could not be announced. Another problem faced by the farmers was the low voltage problem because of which they could not operate their pumpsets. This should be rectified and proper supply of power should be given to the pumpsets.

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