Jayalalitha lambasts UPA and DMK rule

(April 17, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa charged the Congress-led UPA at the Centre and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu with failing on various fronts including terrorism and price-rise.

Launching the AIADMK-led front's election campaign she said all that the people of the country had 'benefitted' from the five-year rule of the UPA.

DMK was an important constituent, which increased terror strikes, economic downturn, increase in unemployment, and inflation. All these are the result of the misrule of the Congress-led UPA, she alleged. The May 13 elections were a golden opportunity to vote the two parties out of power, she said.

Taking on DMK president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on various fronts including the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, she said he had acted on it only after she had issued a statement on reports of Centre supplying military aid and imparting training to the Sri Lankan army.

She described as drama the moves of Karunanidhi on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, including resignation of DMK MPs and meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Jayalalithaa alleged that Karunanidhi was also making contradictory statements on LTTE chief V Prabhakaran. Jayalalithaa said power cut, deteriorating law and order, and inflation had affected the state's development. The state was power surplus during her regime, she claimed.

The former chief minister promised to put the state on the path of development if the AIADMK combine was elected in good numbers. AIADMK is contesting in 23 seats in Tamil Nadu while it has left six to PMK, four to MDMK and three each to the two Left parties. PMK is contesting the lone Puducherry seat.

PMK founder S Ramadoss said that there was an anti-incumbency wave against the DMK. MDMK chief Vaiko alleged that UPA government had betrayed the interests of Sri Lankan Tamils and had been giving economic and military aid to Sri Lankan government for its fight against LTTE.

-Sri Lanka Guardian