Author: PTI
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: August 24, 2011
URL: http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/dmk-pumped-rs-5000-crore-for-polls-jayalalithaa/307198.html
Completing 100 days in office, that saw her
shower freebies and reverse DMK's pet schemes, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa
today alleged in the Assembly the M Karunanidhi-led party had pumped in Rs
5,000 crore during the April 13 elections.
"The DMK was heavily dependent on money
power rather than muscle power or others. Do you know how much money they
pumped in for the elections? Rs 5000 crore," she said in a speech to
mark her 100 days in power after inflicting a crushing poll defeat on DMK
depriving it of even the main opposition status in the assembly.
Recalling the stringent measures taken by
the Election Commission to curb money power during the elections, she said
Rs 50 crore had been reportedly seized.
"I came to know that some DMK men said
they were not bothered by it as it was like little water spilling out of a
pot full of water," she said.
Without directly naming Union Minister M K
Alagiri, she said the DMK men had said this money was pumped in by him.
She said the voters were not lured by money
or other enticements by DMK and had given a mandate to her party and its allies
returning over 200 MLAs in the 234-member Assembly.
In her first action after assuming office
on May 16, Jayalalithaa dumped Karunanidhi's pet project -- Rs 1,200 crore
new secretariat-assembly complex, which would now be used as a multi-speciality
hospital, and scrapped free colour TV distribution scheme, and replaced the
health insurance and housing schemes with revamped ones.
Implementing poll promises on freebies, Jayalalithaa
has introduced the free rice scheme, gold for mangalsutra and initiated the
process for distribution of free laptops to plus two students and mixer-cum-grinders,
allocating over Rs 8,000 crore in the budget.
During her 100 day rule, Jayalalithaa has
also launched a crackdown on land grabbings that has seen several DMK district
leaders and some former ministers being jailed, prompting the party to dub
it as a political vendetta.
In her speech today, Jayalalithaa said the
previous DMK regime had left the state with a debt burden of over Rs one lakh
crore while the Centre was not helpful.
Elaborating on the fund crunch in the state,
she said that she was like the mother of 10 hungry children who had only one
'dosa' to feed them all.
"A good mother will share the dosa equally
among 10 children though it would not satisfy all. But only that is available.
I am in the position of such a mother. We intend to do so much for the people
of Tamil Nadu," she said.
Referring to the freebies such as rice, goat
and milch cows, Jayalalithaa said she wanted the people to reach a stage where
they would not require such sops.
