“The expected alliance will be formed and I will take care of the alliance,” All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Jayalalithaa said on Tuesday, urging people to take care of the task of ousting the “minority” Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government from power.
Addressing a meeting for nearly an hour, organised by the party, she condemned the State and Central governments for the alleged deterioration of law and order, drinking water scarcity, inflation and power cut.
Four years had gone by since the DMK took over the reins of power and “this is election time,” she said.
“It is time to evaluate the achievements of the minority DMK government and its failures. Failures are many but the achievements are few and are mostly illusions.”
Government statistics indicated that food inflation was 17 per cent at the wholesale level and 35 per cent at the retail level. Fall in agricultural production due to non-availability of water was one reason for inflation.
The government had done nothing to get its due share of water in the Cauvery, the Palar and the Mullaperiyar. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal final award given in February 2007 was yet to be notified in the Gazette. Hence, it was not binding on Karnataka. The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, a constituent of the Union government, had not bothered to get the same notified.
Hoarding was the second cause that led to inflation and the DMK government failed to check artificial scarcity. Manipulation in the market caused by online trading was another reason for inflation.
Hike in petroleum prices resulting in a steep hike in freight charges was yet another reason, she said.
Ms.Jayalalithaa said Tamil Nadu, a power surplus State during her rule, had now become power deficit.
“During my rule, the State was selling power to other States whereas today Tamil Nadu is begging for power.”
Ms.Jayalalithaa blamed the State government for failing to check sale of fake and expired medicines.
She also accused the ruling DMK of failing to check the sand mining mafia.
Dubbing the schemes of the DMK as showpieces, she said rice at Re. 1 per kg was a mockery because it was not consumable and it was being smuggled across the State.
Free colour television sets were distributed only to ensure “cable TV revenue for the Chief Minister's family members.”
The health insurance scheme was a drag on State's exchequer to the tune of Rs. 2,000 crore, she said.
