Chennai: Hoping to win the Assembly polls for the third consecutive term, the AIADMK in its election manifesto promised among other things, 'Amma Washing Machine' for all, waiving of educational loans, 'Amma Banking Card,' 'MGR Green Auto' and 'Amma Housing Scheme'. It also said it would urge the Centre to reduce the fuel prices considerably.
As announced by Palaniswami earlier, the party promised cash assistance of Rs 1,500 to the woman head of the family having ration cards, aimed at ensuring economic equality for women. The assistance would be credited to the bank account of the woman head and there was no woman in the ration card, it would be credited to the man. It also reiterated former CM Jayalalithaa's promise that "a total prohibition on liquor would be implemented in phases."
The manifesto released by AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the party office featured announcements on 163 different topics. The ruling party promised to expand the nutritious meals scheme to students of Class 9, 10, 11 and 12. It also promised to expand the breakfast scheme presently being implemented with private support.
A 50% subsidy in bus fare for women in city buses, extending the maternity leave for women from the existing nine months to a year, were among the announcements aimed at women in the electorate. It also promised supply of 200 ml of milk/milk powder to all school students. It also promised a Metro Rail project for Madurai.
It also promised to deliver ration supplies at the doorstep, besides the announcement of Palaniswami earlier that every ration cardholder would get six gas cylinders annually. Farmers would get Rs 7,500 farm subsidy, all rice ration cardholders would get solar stoves, it promised.
"If a family did not have a member in the government service, one of them would be provided a government job," the manifesto promised. The social security assistance given to the elderly and women would be increased from Rs 1,000 to 2,000.
'Amma Seervarisai', assistance for poor couples would be given for their wedding, it promised. All ration card holders would get a free cable TV connection. "The AIADMK would insist on a State-level exam instead of centralised exam in Tamil Nadu for recruiting employees and providing employment," it promised. The AIADMK, which ruled the State for the past 10 years, promised that it would insist the Centre to declare Tamil as one of the administrative languages. It also promised to make Tamil a mandatory subject for school students till Class 10. It also promised to increase the age limit for joining the government service by two years and also promised to grant weekly off on a rotation-basis for police personnel.
Citing the commission constituted by the AIADMK government to gather information over communities, the manifesto promised that the reservation would be implemented in educational and in job opportunities based on the recommendations of the panel.
Karunanidhi, Stalin responsible for Jayalalithaa's death
Palaniswami charged that late DMK leader and former CM M Karunanidhi and DMK president M.K. Stalin were responsible for the death of former CM Jayalalithaa. "The DMK is responsible for the death of Amma. God will definitely punish them. The people know who is responsible for her death." A defamatory campaign was being undertaken, he contended and said: "The soul of Amma would definitely punish them. Amma was providing a good government to the people of Tamil Nadu. Though she was declared innocent in the courts, there was an appeal against her and it caused her agony following which she left this world in a situation where she could not receive appropriate treatment."
