DMK flays ally CPM on its criticism of power tariff hike

CHENNAI: 'Murasoli', the mouthpiece of the ruling DMK, has come out strongly against the statement of the CPI-M Tamil Nadu state secretary K. Balakrishnan on the hike in state's power tariff.

In an article, Murasoli said that the political adversaries of the alliance are trying to break the DMK-led alliance and called upon the CPI-M leader to be cautious on his statement.

It also reminded the CPI-M leader that in Kerala, where the CPI-M was in power, there was a hike in electricity tariff. The article said that in Kerala the power tariff of even consumers who use 100 units was hiked by 20 paise per unit and said that in Tamil Nadu, 100 units of electricity is free.

Unlike the Centre's policy of crushing the poor and nourishing, the party believes in tapping the rich and patting the poor, the article read.

Murasoli said that the DMK government had increased the power rates as it was unavoidable and for the government to function, there has to be an increase in tax and tariff.

The DMK mouthpiece said that the government had to increase the tariff for power as the state coffers were empty and that the previous ten years of mismanagement had led to such a precarious situation in Tamil Nadu.

It is to be noted that the CPI-M which does not have much of a grass root influence in Tamil Nadu has benefitted from the alliance with the DMK and has two MLAs and two MPs.