LS Polls: EPS holds meeting with district secretaries; releases election manifesto

CHENNAI: In tune with the present political scenario and growing confrontation between Governors and the state governments in non-BJP ruling states, the AIADMK would insist the Centre to consult with the Chief Minister of the respective state and appoint Governors with their consent.

It was one of the 133 poll promises announced by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday at the party headquarters.

"Though the Governor post was ceremonial one, it was created as per the Indian Constitution. Sticking to our leader's (J Jayalalithaa) view, we will continue to emphasise that the Central government should consult with the Chief Minister of the state government and seek their consent regarding the appointment of Governor, " said Palaniswami while explaining some of the significant poll promises.

The party, according to the manifesto, would exert pressure on the Centre to extend monthly financial aid of Rs 3,000 to women heads of poor families. "It will empower the women economically, " he pointed out that they would also insist the Centre to implement 33% reservation for women.

Palaniswami also highlighted the party would insist the Centre to establish the Supreme Court's bench in Chennai, make Tamil as an official language in the Madras High Court, complete removal of the toll plazas and conduct the winter session of the parliament in Chennai.

Apart from this, the AIADMK promised to take all necessary measures to ensure statehood for Puducherry.

The party would demand the Centre to expedite the construction of AIIMS-Madurai for the welfare of the people at the earliest. They would also insist the Centre to establish AIIMS in Coimbatore.

Most of the key promises of the AIADMK mirrored the manifesto of its arch-rival DMK, indicating that the two Dravidian majors were sticking to the core ideology of social justice and equality.

The AIADMK's manifesto touched upon the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which was a bone of contention in TN. It was designed in a "biased" manner with an inbuilt component of "imposition of Hindi" language. This results in a continuous opposition. So, the party would emphasise the Centre to alter the existing system to ensure equal opportunity for all to pursue medicine. "We will emphasise the Centre admit students to medical colleges based on their class XII board examination marks instead of the existing system, " he said.

The party also promised to take necessary measures to shift education from the Concurrent list to the state list. It would take measures to bring down the price of domestic gas cylinders and insist the centre to give six free gas cylinders in a year and also take responsibility for controlling the price of cylinders to unburden the women folks from financial constraints.

The party manifesto focused on river linking projects such as Nadanthai Vaazhi Cauvery project, Godavari-Cauvery river linking project and construction of concrete channel to take Cauvery water to delta region. The party also promised to prevent the Karnataka government from implementing Mekedatu dam project to protect the rights of TN fishermen.

Also Read:EPS releases second list of AIADMK candidates for LS Polls

Key poll promises:

• Retrieving Katchatheevu and ensuring the rights and safety of TN fishermen, Dual citizenship for Sri Lankan Tamils
  
• Enhance working days and wage under MGNREGA scheme - from 100 working days to 150 days and Rs enhance to wage to Rs 450/per day.
• Metro rail project to cover developed cities in the state
• Centre should bring Cess/Surcharge into devolution bracket to benefit the state
• Welfare board for the non resident Tamils.
• Enhancing the Centre's contribution towards schemes from 25
• Revoke the renaming of IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act.
• Enhance the ratio of the Centre's contribution in the centrally sponsored schemes from 60% to 75%.
• Rs 5,000 monthly pension to farmers and three phase power connection around-the-clock for farming activities.
• Increasing income ceiling for creamy layer for OBC to Rs 12 lakh/annum