Tamil Nadu   

Karunanidhi embarks on a State-wide election tour

R.K. Radhakrishnan

Says schemes in DMK manifesto touch common people in every way

MEETING VOTERS: DMK president M. Karunanidhi campaigns for the PMK candidate C.R. Baskaran at Saidapet in Chennai on Wednesday. — Photo:S. R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M.Karunanidhi embarked on a State-wide election tour here on Wednesday, detailing schemes the party had undertaken for the poor and the downtrodden from its early years in power.

"The schemes in the manifesto touch the common people in every way," he told supporters at Saidapet, the first stop. Mr.Karunanidhi recalled that he had contested and won from the constituency in 1967 and 1971.

It was after the DMK came to power in 1967 that the name `Madras state' was changed to Tamil Nadu. Building of multi-storey tenements for slum dwellers and abolishing hand-pulled rickshaws were the achievements of early years of the DMK regime.

Down memory lane

"The young may not remember. But the old will certainly do," he said and explained how the hand-pulled rickshaws were operated. "Even Gandhiji was against this," he said, adding that Tamil Nadu was the first State to abolish the rickshaws.

The DMK faced a barrage of criticism then, as it did now, after announcing welfare schemes. "Those criticising us asked what people who pulled rickshaws would do." He had replied that he would give them cycle rickshaws. And the DMK kept its word.

The party, which had implemented so many schemes for the State, would be able to fulfil all the promises it had made. "We can and will show that we can [fulfil promises we made]," he said.

Rice distribution

Mr. Karunanidhi said some people had approached him saying many of the poor families would not have enough money to buy the 20 kg rice allotted to each family at one go (even though rice will be sold at Rs.2 a kg through the public distribution system). Though it was a matter of detail, he said it would be possible to make available 10 kg rice twice a month, 15 days apart.

Mr. Karunanidhi appealed to people to vote for Pattali Makkal Katchi candidate C.R. Baskaran in Saidapet and DMK candidate S.R.Raja in Tambaram.

His convoy had to halt at many places — Alandur, Pallavaram, Chromepet, Chengalpattu — as supporters burst crackers to welcome their leader. He spoke for a brief while at each of these halts and also at Madurantakam, Achcharapakkam, Tindivanam, before winding up his campaign for the day at Villupuram.

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