AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa kicked off her election campaign here on Saturday, urging the electorate to teach the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance a fitting lesson by supporting the AIADMK combine, for taking Tamil Nadu and the nation to greater heights.

Ms.Jayalalithaa, who addressed the public for about 40 minutes, devoted nearly 20 minutes for the Sri Lankan issue.

“After the Congress-led government came to power in 2004, the Centre, surviving on the support of the DMK, provided all support to the Sri Lankan army, including training, arms and ammunition and financial assistance, which is being used to wipe out Tamils in the island nation. We, the AIADMK and its allies, have exposed these disturbing designs of the Congress and the DMK before the people of Tamil Nadu, who have understood that Mr. Karunanidhi’s outward show expressing support for the suffering Sri Lankan Tamils is nothing but a drama,” she alleged.

Tamil Eelam alone would be the solution if the Sri Lankan government was not prepared to recognise an autonomous Tamil State. The case filed by the AIADMK in the Supreme Court on Katchatheevu to win back the rights of Tamil fishermen would ensure a reasonable and everlasting solution.

“You gave the DMK and the Congress victory in all 40 Parliamentary constituencies in 2004. While Mr.Karunanidhi is according the highest priority to ensure the well being of only his family members in the past five years, leaving Tamil Nadu in the lurch, the Union government has failed on all fronts. This is a golden opportunity given to you. Hence teach a fitting lesson to Mr.Karunanidhi and the Congress on May 13,” she said.
She came down heavily on the DMK government for undeclared power cuts, poor law and order situation, illegal sand mining, smuggling of rice meant for the public distribution system, unemployment and rise in activities of fundamentalists.

The Desia Pathukappu Kazhagam (DPK), led by Mahatma Gandhi’s former secretary V.Kalyanam, will contest from Chennai South and Chennai Central constituencies.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Kalyanam said N.S.Venkataraman, a chemical engineer, would contest from Chennai South and Niranjan Kasturi, a management consultant, from Chennai Central.

The candidates would spend only Rs.3.75 lakh each on campaign and abide by Gandhian principles. Party’s founder secretary M.Kumar and propaganda secretary V.Sundaram were present at the press meet.

s part of its promise to ensure “that more money is available in the hands of the people,” the manifesto also said that income tax exemption limit for all others would be increased to Rs.5 lakh per annum.

The manifesto, released by party general secretary Jayalalithaa at a rally on Island Grounds on Thursday, stated that it would create 100 million jobs in the next five years.

Six lakh existing vacancies in Defence and Central services would be filled and services of 5 lakh casual workers in Central Services regularised. “Three lakh extra departmental workers in Postal Services will be regularised.”

It promised to prevent the entry of Foreign Direct Investment in retail, real estate and higher education.

Present limits on FDI in insurance sector would continue.

Stating that National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) would be revamped and renamed National Rural Upliftment Scheme (NRUS), the manifesto said a scheme linked to the NRUS would provide household essential commodities to every worker, who works for five days in a month under NRUS. A package of 25 kgs of rice or wheat, 1 kg pulses, 1 kg edible oil and 5 litres of kerosene to meet a family’s basic food requirements for a whole month would be provided.

The AIADMK would call for immediate cessation of war in Sri Lanka and demand an immediate stop to genocide against the civilian Tamil population. “If these moves fail, then the AIADMK will press for a separate State of Eelam to ensure that Tamils in the island live a life of dignity.”

Besides providing a laptop computer for every SC/ST student taking up professional studies (the scheme will be extended progressively to cover BC,MBC and denotified communities), bicycles for all SC, ST, BC, MBC and DNC students pursuing secondary school studies would be provided.

MADURAI: Unidentified persons assaulted Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA N. Nanmaran near his residence at Ponnagaram here on Wednesday night. The MLA, representing the Madurai East Assembly Constituency, was treated at the Government Rajaji Hospital for cut injuries on Thursday afternoon.

“It is an attack out of political enmity,” Mr. Nanmaran said. He was returning home around 11.45 p.m. after completing election work when the attack took place.

“I was trying to take my moped into the house when two persons, riding a motorbike, came from behind and hit me with some weapon and escaped.” Since it was late in the night no one was there on the street to chase the culprits.

KARUR: Cine actor Ramarajan campaigned for the AIADMK in several parts of Karur, Inam Karur and Thanthoni municipality areas in Karur town on Tuesday canvassing votes for the party nominee for the Karur Lok Sabha constituency M. Thambi Durai.

vIRUDHUNAGAR: More than the failures of the State government, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) cadres must focus on identifying the Congress and DMK as the betrayers of Tamils, said MDMK general secretary Vaiko here on Sunday.

Addressing party workers here, Mr. Vaiko, MDMK candidate for the Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency, said the cadres must highlight power cuts, sand smuggling, atrocities perpetrated on common man in the State, the attack on High Court judge on court premises and the betrayal of the State on the Cauvery, Palar and Mullaperiyar water disputes. The people of the State were in an agitated mood over these issues.

Moreover, the fact that the Centre was supplying arms to the Sri Lankan military to kill the Tamils would fetch a large chunk of votes, Mr Vaiko said.

The Congress, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi were responsible for the massacre of Tamils in the island nation. Clarifying that he had not caused any harm to the sovereignty of the nation in his recent speech, he said he was ready to face any action by the State government. “If one Vaiko is jailed, thousands of Vaikos will emerge.

CHENNAI: Hours after the seat-sharing agreement was concluded with the MDMK, AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa released the party’s list of candidates for 23 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The MDMK has been allotted four constituencies. Party general secretary Vaiko, who is contesting a general election after a gap of 10 years, will contest from Virudhunagar. Former MP of Palani and district secretary of Erode A. Ganeshamurthy will contest from Erode. MP C. Krishnan will contest from Nilgiris and deputy general secretary Durai Balakrishnan from Thanjavur.

Among the prominent AIADMK candidates are
former Union Minister M. Thambidurai (Karur),
former Tamil Nadu Ministers S. Semmalai (Salem),
V.Sathiyamurthy (Ramanathapuram),
M.C. Sampath (Cuddalore),.
R.S. Rajakannappan(Sivaganga seat),
Cynthia Pandian(Tuticorin ),
S.S. Chandran (Central Chennai),
O.S. Manian (Mayiladuthurai )
C. Sivasami Tirupur constituency. (Tirupur)
R. Rajan (Tiruvallur),
S. Rajendran (South Chennai),
L.K.M.P. Vasu (Vellore),
Mukkur N. Subramanian (Arani),
P. Murugan (Villupuram),
V. Vairam Tamilarasi (Namakkal),
K. Sukumar (Pollachi),
P. Kumar (Tiruchi),
R.P. Maruthairaj (Perambalur),
K. Annamalai (Tirunelveli).
E. Ramakrishnan (Kancheepuram),
K. Nanjagoda (Krishnagiri),
MP Thanga Tamilselvan (Theni)
P. Balasubramani (Dindigul)

The AIADMK will be facing the DMK in 10 constituencies and the Congress in 11 constituencies. In Villupuram, the fight is between the AIADMK and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and in Vellore, the AIADMK will face the Muslim League. The DMK and the PMK have a direct contest in 5 constituencies.

After days of hectic parleys, the State unit of the CPI(M) on Monday reached an agreement on seats sharing with the AIADMK.

Besides the two currently held constituencies, Kanyakumari (earlier Nagercoil) and Madurai, the CPI(M) will contest from the Coimbatore constituency.

list of dmk candiates

DMK candidates for the 21 constituencies
Mr. Baalu Sriperumbudur constituency,
Mr. Raja Nilgiris (Reserved) constituency,
Mr Palanimanickam Thanjavur constituency,
MR.Dayanidhi Maran central chennai constituency,
MR.A.K.S Vijayan Nagapattinam-Reserved,
MR.K.C.Palanisamy Karur,
MR.E.G.Sugavanam Krishnagiri,
MR.D. Venugopal Tiruvannamalai,
MRSS.J. Helen Davidson Kanyakumari,
MR.S.R.Jayadurai Tuticorin,
MR.K.Sivakumar alias
J.K.Ritheesh Ramanathapuram(ACTOR),
MR.M.K.Azhagiri Madurai,
MR.D. Napoleon Perambalur(ACTOR),
MR.K. Shanmugasundaram Pollachi,
MR.Gandhi Selvan Namakkal,
MR.Thamaraiselvan Dharmapuri,
MR.S.Jagathratchagan Arakkonam,
MRSS.Gayathri Sreedharan Tiruvallur-Reserved,
T.K.S. Elangovan (North Chennai) ,
MR R.S.Bharathi (South Chennai).

The Pattali Makkal Katchi will launch its election campaign next week, according Anbumani Ramadoss, PMK youth wing president and former Union Minister.

He was talking to reporters after calling on All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa along with PMK president G.K. Mani and the seven party candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

the overview of BJP'S election manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha election.

With the promise of ushering in a ‘Ram Rajya,’ the Bharatiya Janata Party unveiled here on Friday its manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha election.

The party promised to give each ‘below the poverty level’ family a quota of 35 kg rice or wheat at Rs. 2 a kg, bettering the Congress offer at Rs. 3 a kg. It promised to set up community kitchens in extremely impoverished areas and expand the mid-day meal scheme for school-going children as part of a package of measures to make India hunger-free.

The party’s prime ministerial candidate, L.K. Advani, said, “Ram Rajya is possible” and drew attention to the fact that the party was releasing its manifesto on the occasion of Ram Navmi. And, of course, the Ram temple issue was part of the manifesto, with the BJP promising “to explore all possibilities, including negotiations and judicial proceedings, to facilitate the construction of the temple at Ayodhya.” 

Other references to Lord Ram were in the promise to look for an alternative alignment for the proposed Sethusamudram Channel Project while declaring Ram Sethu a “national heritage.”

The party promised to carve separate Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh, and said it favoured the creation of smaller States. BJP president Rajnath Singh said the party was sympathetic to the demand for a Gorkhaland.

Manifesto committee chairman Murli Manohar Joshi said he received about 900 suggestions. It was after 11 years that the BJP released its own manifesto to signal its ideological concerns — cow protection, implementing a uniform civil code and abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution (special status for J&K) without which “full integration” of the nation was “not possible.” 

The party announced a slew of measures to help farmers: a complete loan waiver for all farmers, which would presumably include the kulaks, which some of their allies are in Punjab and Haryana; availability of loans to farmers at 4 per cent interest; a guaranteed farm income and crop insurance; irrigation of 35 million hectares of additional farm land; and revision of minimum wages to help the landless agriculture labour.

Security issues have been given a major thrust: all armed forces and paramilitary force personnel to be exempt from I-T; one rank, one pension to be implemented; a separate pay commission for them; and better rehabilitation measures.

Generous and low interest loans for students, tough measures against ragging, schemes for the girl child, exemption from personal income tax for those earning up to Rs. 3 lakh per annum, and for women and senior citizens up to Rs. 3.5 lakh, are among the other promises.

pmk ties with aiadmk

 The PMK, which has aligned with Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK to contest the Lok Sabha polls, on Sunday renominated sitting MP M Ramadoss from the lone seat in the union territory. The decision was announced by PMK founder leader Dr S Ramadoss here during a meeting of party workers. In the 2004 polls, Mr. M Ramadoss had defeated his BJP rival, Lalitha Kumaramangalam. 

The PMK had then contested the polls as an ally of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, which included the Congress and Left parties. However, this time the PMK decided to join the AIADMK-led front following strained relations with the DMK. A decision to this effect was taken by the party's general council on March 26. 

Dr Ramadoss had met AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on Saturday and finalised the seat sharing agreement for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, under which the party will contest seven constituencies, including Puducherry.

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leadership on Thursday began interviewing prospective candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The party is contesting 21 seats.

Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi interviewed the aspirants in the presence of general secretary K. Anbazhagan, treasurer M.K. Stalin and senior leaders Arcot N. Veeraswami, Durai Murugan, Veerapandi S.Arumugham, M.K. Azhagiri and K. Ponmudi. Interviews were held for 10 seats.
The process began with the interview of 37 prospective candidates from Kanyakumari staking their claim for the seat. This was followed by Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Sriperumbudur and Madurai.
In the afternoon, interviews were held for Central Chennai, Perambalur, Karur, Arakkonam and Tiruvallur seats. The DMK district secretaries were also present during the interview of candidates from their respective districts.
Apart from Mr. Azhagiri, there was no applicant for the Madurai seat. He was present along with those who submitted his application. Party seniors said that no formal interview was conducted for Madurai. For Central Chennai, there were two applicants.
On Friday, interviews for the remaining seats will be taken up. An announcement on selection of candidates is expected on Friday night or Saturday.

CHENNAI:on aprial 2 Hundreds of Congress workers agitated before the State party headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan here on Wednesday protesting against the denial of the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat to the party.

The party workers, who came to the city in the morning from various towns in Kanyakumari district, enforced a ‘blockade’ on the Bhavan ignoring assurances by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.V.Thangkabalu and party treasurer D.Sudarssanam that their sentiments would be conveyed to the high command.

Led by party MLAs S.Jayapaul and S.John Jacob and former MLAs Pon.Vijayaraghavan and Kumaradoss, all belonging to Kanyakumari district, they asked their leaders not to settle for anything other than the allotment of the seat to the party.