— Photo: S. James

CROWD PULLER: Congress president Sonia Gandhi waving to the crowd after addressing an election meeting in Madurai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, on Tuesday, appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to vote for the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) so that the State Government could work "hand in hand" with the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre to fulfil the aspirations of all sections.

Addressing an election meeting on the Tamukkam Grounds in Madurai, she said: "We have all shown to you how much we can do (and) how much has been done at the Central level and we want to show and prove how much will be done at the State level if you vote for the DPA."

Recalling that it was the people of Tamil Nadu who made the UPA Government at the Centre possible, she said the "massive mandate" delivered the country from divisive forces, which did not care for ordinary people.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi, who commanded "great respect because of his wisdom and political experience," was one of the main architects of the UPA at the Centre and the main architect of the DPA in Tamil Nadu.

"We all look to him for his counsel," she said.

The UPA Government, Ms. Gandhi insisted, was committed to the welfare of weaker sections and had allocated "unprecedented funds" for education, health and housing. It had initiated work on the Sethusamudram canal project and declared Tamil a classical language.

Praising the 13 Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu, the Congress president said, "(they) had responded to the needs of people of this beautiful State."

Addressing an election meeting of the DPA on the Island grounds in Chennai, Ms.Gandhi appealed to the people of the State to vote the DPA to "free Tamil Nadu from the clutches of the AIADMK."

The success of the alliance would result in every person being ensured a life of dignity, security and pride. "Victory is ours," she said.

Referring to a representation given by Mr. Karunanidhi on the issue relating to the Cauvery Tribunal's recent decision, she said, "I have taken note of your concern."

Ms.Gandhi flayed the AIADMK for attempting to take credit for the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, though 90 per cent of the funds were released by the UPA Government.

Mr. Karunanidhi listed the many acts of omission and commission by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and wondered how such a person could occupy a high post. Every one had to be trained by Ms. Gandhi in the spirit of sacrifice, he said.

Congress for continuity

Earlier in Pondicherry, Ms. Gandhi sought the people's mandate for the continuance of welfare programmes by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy. Addressing a meeting on the Uppalam grounds here on Tuesday she called upon the Pondicherry people to repose trust in the Congress-led alliance once again so that welfare schemes for the benefit of workers, women, farmers, handloom weavers and farm labourers could be implemented continuously.

Stating that Pondicherry had always attracted private investment in many areas, generating jobs for a large number of youth, she listed the priorities that were spelt out in the manifesto released recently.

The manifesto was an ambitious and a sacred document, which envisaged among other things, a health insurance scheme for the poor and welfare programmes for farmers and their families.

Ms. Gandhi charged that the Opposition stood for "autocratic and corrupt rule."

The Congress had always been sensitive to the separate identity of the people, she said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail