The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Jayalalithaa promises to eliminate unemployment

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 02, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Jayalalithaa promises to eliminate unemployment

Special Correspondent

Says Opposition parties "will not fulfil" their promises

CHENNAI: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday appealed to the electorate to vote for the Democratic People's Alliance led by her party as it was certain that the Opposition parties "would not fulfil" their promises given during the May 8 elections.

During her electioneering on the second day, she told the people of Pondicherry that the AIADMK and its allies including the Pudhuvai Munnetra Congress (PMC) if elected to power in the Union Territory would resort measures to eliminate unemployment, root out corruption and ensure balanced growth of all the regions.

She addressed several roadside meetings from her propaganda van. Her campaign was not totally incident free. In Pondicherry, supporters of K. Nehru, who was replaced by film star Ananda Raj as the AIADMK candidate for the Orlianpeth constituency, threw posters and placards at her van just as she was concluding her speech.

As Mr. Ananda Raj followed the convoy in an open jeep with folded hands, the supporters of Mr. Nehru virtually chased the vehicle and hurled abuses, protesting against his nomination.

Continuing her campaign for the second day in Villupuram district and the Union Territory of Pondicherry, she said the opposition was suffering from dearth of issues before the electorate while for the AIADMK it was a problem of plenty. She was finding it difficult in listing out certain achievements of her Government even while omitting certain others, she said.

Ms. Jayalaithaa highlighted several welfare and developmental schemes implemented in the State during the last nearly five years.

She accused the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which had been ruling Pondicherry for long, of neglecting the welfare of the people of Pondicherry, which had a "glorious past."

If the AIADMK and its allies were given the mandate, they would strive to help the Union Territory to get a "Special State status." The new government would hold the local body elections within a month after assuming office, she said. She also assured of many projects including introduction of a ferry service between Chennai and Pondicherry, modernisation of old textile mills, promotion of tourism and fishing trade.

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