Tamil Nadu   

Free colour television scheme to be launched in September

R.K. Radhakrishnan

He had to make 50 unscheduled stops along the route to Tiruvarur He had to make 50 unscheduled stops along the route to Tiruvarur

TIRUVARUR: The free colour television scheme, a poll promise of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), will be launched on September 15 and 17, the birth anniversaries of C.N. Annadurai and Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Naicker, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has said.

Four days after taking over as Chief Minister, Mr. Karunanidhi undertook a nearly 300 km drive to thank the people for having chosen the Democratic Progressive Alliance to guide the State for the next five years.

Addressing a public meeting — his first since assuming office — here late on Wednesday night, Mr. Karunanidhi said already three election promises had been fulfilled, and more would follow suit soon.

The DMK and its allies fulfilling the promises of rice through the PDS at Rs. 2 a kg, waiver of co-operative loans for farmers and the two-eggs-a-week scheme for students was an indication that promises would be kept, he said.

Mr. Karunanidhi, who left his Gopalapuram residence at around 12.30 p.m., had to make over 50 unscheduled stops along the way to receive greetings from people and also to thank them for having voted the DPA to power.

At Palavakkam, DPA leaders, led by former Tambaram MLA Vaithyalingam, greeted him with shawls, garlands and cracker burst.

At the entry point of Kancheepuram district, officials and the party district secretary T.N. Anbarasan, who is now Minister, welcomed him. Mr. Karunanidhi got down from his campaign vehicle and spent a few minutes with the leaders and officials.

He also draped shawls on some of the partymen.

At the entrance to Pondicherry, the DMK Legislature Party Leader, Nazeem, and senior leaders of the Congress and other allies greeted Mr. Karunanidhi. Similar scenes were witnessed at the entrance to Cuddalore district at Reddy Chavadi and also the entry point of Nagapattinam district, Kollidam.

As the Chief Minister's convoy moved through Chidambaram many turned up to have a glimpse of the leader.

Police had put up barricades in most towns along the route so that people would not rush on to the road.

However, many broke the security cordon and rushed towards the Chief Minister's vehicle. In small villages and towns, people turned up in strength to meet the new Chief Minister. "This looks more like an election rally," a beaming Mr. Karunanidhi told The Hindu

The convoy finally reached the venue of the public meeting in Tiruvarur more than ten hours after it left Chennai.

Mr. Karunanidhi was accompanied by his wife Dayalu Ammal, Ministers Arcot N. Veerasamy, Durai Murugan, K. Ponmudi, M.K. Stalin and his wife Durga and party seniors.

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

Stories in this Section

Power from rails possible
All for food
Year augurs well for delta farmers
Protect culture of Tamil Nadu: Uma Bharti
Cauvery: delta farmers look to Karunanidhi
Namakkal hatcheries begin production once again
Case against DMK chief dismissed
Too many aspirants for CLP leader's post
54 refugees reach Rameswaram
Small swing would have altered fortunes
Free colour television scheme to be launched in September
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu