One of the sops promised by the DMK includes Rs 1,000 for “Kudumba Thalaivi” or the head woman of the household…reports Asian Lite News
The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo MK Stalin promised a slew of development projects during his mega roadshow at Siruganur in Trichy if voted to power. This has reportedly put the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on the backfoot.
One of the sops promised by the DMK includes Rs 1,000 for “Kudumba Thalaivi” or the head woman of the household.
The joint AIADMK-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) alliance was comfortably placed in the driver’s seat with the recent implementation of 10.5 per cent reservation for the powerful Vanniyar community under the Most Backward Class (MBC) category.
However, Stalin in his public meeting “Vidiyalukkana Muzhakkam” (Call for the dawn) at Siruganur in Trichy addressed a major gathering which has altered the AIADMK’s plans.
Stalin has vowed to take forward the state in seven critical areas — economy, agriculture, water resources, urban development, education and health, rural infrastructure and social justice.
Stalin has put across his development agenda for Tamil Nadu ahead of the release of the party’s election manifesto on March 11. The DMK leader also promised to take forward the economy of the state to Rs 35 lakh crore in the next 10 years, taking the state’s per capita income to Rs 4 lakh.
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The AIADMK which is ruling the state for the past 10 years was expecting to retain power with the political alliance with the BJP and the PMK. The party was also banking on the welfare schemes implemented by it in the past decade, including sops and pension scheme.
AIADMK Chennai City Secretary P.R. Senthilnathan said, “Of course we have to study in detail the assurances given by our principal opposition DMK and to study its impact on the people of Tamil Nadu. Being a grassroot political party, we can understand the pulse of the people and rework our strategies.”
The AIADMK think tank has already convened a high-level meeting to evolve a strategy to bring a better proposal before the people of the state.
With the DMK government led by C.N. Annadurai implementing a Re one rice scheme to kick-off the freebie culture in Tamil Nadu in 1967, both the DMK and the AIADMK have been competing with each other to announce and implement a slew of people friendly schemes and programmes.
When M. Karunanidhi was the Chief minister, the DMK had announced free colour TVs and other freebies for the people of Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK government under the leadership of J. Jayalalithaa came to power after the Karunanidhi government had announced free wet grinders and mixies, thereby taking the freebie culture to the next level.
It remains to be seen what the AIADMK will be announcing to counter the programmes announced by the DMK leader at Trichy on Sunday.
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