The Hindu : DMK decision unfortunate: CPI (M)

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

DMK decision unfortunate: CPI (M)

By Our Staff Reporter

Nagapattinam Jan. 20. The DMK decision to boycott Sattankulam byelection was unfortunate at a time when the political situation in State and Central levels was so bad, the CPI (M) State secretary, N. Varadarajan, said here today.

Talking to reporters, Mr.Varadarajan said his party would discuss the impact of the DMK decision on State politics at its executive meeting to be held in Chennai on January 21.

The CPI (M) decided not to contest the bypoll, but it would support a candidate who opposed both the AIADMK and the National Democratic Alliance.

Asked whether the party would support the Congress, Mr. Varadarajan said it would take a decision if Congress was firm in its stand to contest the byelection and sought the Marxists support.

Claiming that Marxists did not have a `perceived' motive to criticise the State Government measures taken to alleviate the suffering of farmers and farm hands, he said it was their duty to bring to the notice of the Government when such schemes failed to bring succour to them.

Terming the `noon meal scheme' for ryots farce, Mr. Varadarajan demanded that 30 kg of rice per month and cash assistance be extended to suffering farmers and agriculture labourer families as this measure alone would prevent, what he alleged, suicides taking place in Cauvery delta.

It was regrettable that the Government was trying to make out as though they were `normal' deaths. If it was not willing to accept the observations of opposition parties, let it form a committee of all party MLAs to find out the cause for the incidents.

Regarding drought situation prevailing in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, Mr. Varadarajan said any amount of water that were to be released from Mettur hereafter would be of no use as the crop in several acres had already withered.

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