The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam released their manifestos for the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, both promising to scrap the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for medicine entrance examinations. Both parties also promised that if voted to power, they would release the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The manifesto of the DMK was released by party chief MK Stalin, while that of the AIADMK was unveiled by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu sends 39 members to the Lok Sabha. The AIADMK had won 37 on its own in the 2014 elections, making it the third largest party in the Lower House. This year, both parties have entered seat-sharing agreements with allies.
The state goes to polls in a single phase on April 18. Results of the seven-phase elections will be announced on May 23.
DMK’s manifesto
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has promised steps to implement reservations in the private sector, to waive students’ education loans, and the restoration of the old pension scheme for central and state government employees, PTI reported.
MK Stalin said his party would move back to the administered-price mechanism to regulate the prices of petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas. He also promised that if the DMK is voted to power, it will scrap the direct cash transfer of subsidy for LPG and cut cylinder prices.
The DMK has already announced its candidates for the 20 constituencies it is contesting in the state. The others will be contested by allies.
AIADMK’s promises
The AIADMK, meanwhile, promised to “vigorously pursue” a national poverty eradication scheme named after former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, PTI reported. The party pledged to transfer Rs 1,500 per month to the target population under the scheme, to be called Amma National Poverty Eradication Initiaitive.
The AIADMK also vowed steps to seek an international probe into the alleged war crimes during the civil war in Sri Lanka, reported The Hindu.
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