The DMK, if voted to power in the May 16 Assembly elections, would revive the controversial Sethu Samudram Project, which has been put on hold by the BJP-led Gove-rnment at the Centre, according to M Karunanidhi, the 93-year-old president of the party. He was addressing party cadre at Anna Arivalayam, the imposing DMK headquarters in Chennai on Sunday evening after releasing the election manifesto of the party drafted by his daughter Kanimozhi and other senior leaders.
“We will also launch Anna Hotels which would sell food at unbelievably low prices,” declared Karunanidhi who also promised to shut down all the liquor shops in the State. The election manifesto released by Karunanidhi is full of offers to the electorate in the State cutting across class, caste and creed. “All educational and farm loans will be written off.. We will have separate agriculture budget as well as a Minister exclusively for water management,” said Karunanidhi. His declaration about prohibition was welcomed by a thundering applause from the hundreds of lady delegates present in the hall.
The DMK president promised to withdraw all defamation cases filed by the AIADMK Government against various people and organisations. “All Central Government offices in Tamil Nadu should have Tamil as the official language. Maternity leave will be increased to nine months. All students in Tamil Nadu can look forward to free internet connections,” said Karunanidhi.
The noon meal in all schools will be complimented with free milk. Chennai, Vellore and Dindigul would get leather parks. The DMK Government would create one lakh new jobs every year. All districts in the State would boast of medical colleges. Subsidised mobile phones and subsidy of `3 lakh for people in low income groups to build concrete houses are some of the other offers which has been made by the DMK.