CHENNAI: AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa has unleashed her bag of freebies to Tamil Nadu electorates.
She has matched, if not outdone, arch rival DMK's manifesto, released a few days back. Here's a sample: While the DMK had promised 35 kg of free rice every month for below-poverty line families, AIADMK has promised 20 kg of free rice for all ration-card holders. If DMK wants to give women free mixies and grinders, its rival has added fans to the list.
The ruling party has promised laptops to students in their first year of college. Jayalalithaa is promising them one even as early as their eleventh standard. DMK immediately latched on to the similarity. "It's a copycat manifesto," said DMK spokesperson and member of Parliament TKS Elangovan. "Whatever we said, they added one more (item)." Further, Elangovan said, "They were saying we are spoiling the people by giving freebies. Wonder why there's a sudden change in their mindset."
When asked to comment on the manifesto, a prominent AIADMK leader said, "Amma (Jayalalithaa) has released the manifesto. We partymen don't comment on it."
The AIADMK had steered clear of populism in the run-up to the 2006 Assembly elections , which it lost to the DMK. That election made news for the unprecedented offer of free colour TVs by the DMK. This time around the AIADMK, according to observers, has felt the need to indulge in populism. This, despite having two strong issues - corruption (the fallout of the 2G scam) and price rise - in its arsenal against the ruling party. The freebie war is getting its share of fierce critics.
Political commentator Gnani Sankaran likened the two parties to "shopkeepers at Ranganathan Street (Chennai's busiest shopping area, known for its bargain prices)." He said, "Both the Dravidian parties are simply fooling the people."
Chennai-based advocate S Subramaniam Balaji said, "Everyone who's promising (such freebies) is equally guilty and equally liable to be disqualified." Just a few days back, Balaji had complained to the Election Commission that the freebies of DMK and PMK (one of the partners in the DMK coalition) amounts to about Rs 2 lakh a family. His contention is that this is purely a bribe.
Courtesy Economic Times, India
Karuna, Jaya declare assets: who's richer?
New Delhi: In the run-up to the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the grand old man of Indian politics M Karunananidhi declared assets worth Rs 41 crore. This is the collective declaration between the DMK patriarch and his two wives Dayalu and Rajathi.
While the Tamil Nadu chief minister doesn't own a car, his assets include properties and fixed deposits worth Rs 4.1 crore.
His second wife Dayalu owns immovable properties worth Rs 15.4 crore.
Karuna, Jaya declare assets: who's richer?
She also has a car worth Rs 16 lakhs and 60 per cent stake in Kalaignar TV valued at Rs 6 crore. Dayalu - who is also the mother of Union minister M K Alagiri and TN deputy CM Stalin - owns gold jewellery worth Rs 10.96 lakhs and other jewellery worth Rs 1.6 lakhs. She also has a house in Tiruvarur worth Rs.5.51 lakhs.
Karunannidhi's third wife, Rajathi has immovable properties worth Rs 20.6 crore.
Rajathi - who is also Kanimozhi's mother -has 25 lakh shares worth Rs 2.5 crore in Westgate Logistics firm and gold jewellery worth Rs 9.85 lakhs. Rajathi also owns a house in Chennai valued at Rs 3.14 crore.
AIADMK Chief J Jayalalithaa also went ahead and declared her worth as a run-up to the Assembly polls. The former Tamil Nadu chief minister has declared assets valued at Rs 51.40 crore.
The break-up includes Rs 25,000 cash in hand and five cars worth Rs 8.35 lakhs. Jayalalithaa who is contesting the Assembly election from Srirangam, has a bank balance of Rs 4.5 lakhs.
In her affidavit, she says that bank deposits amounting to Rs 2 crore and investment in shares worth Rs.50,000 have been seized by the police and given to the custody of the court
She also has agricultural land worth Rs 11.3 crore and owns four commercial buildings in Chennai and Hyderabad valued at Rs 6 crore 39 lakhs. - Courtesy IBN
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