Who Will Win???

THE BATTLE CONTINUES

With elections round the corner the political parties fighting it out in the streets of Tamil Nadu, campaigning for their candidates. With the pre-poll surveys predicting a close contest between the ruling AIADMK and DMK, both the parties are confident of getting clear majority. However history suggests that which ever party has a pre-poll alliance wins the election. In 2001, AIADMK had a grand alliance with the then TMC (now joined with Congress) and other parties. But this time around it is the reversal where the DMK has a grand alliance called Democratic People's Alliance which comprises of Congress, PMK, CPI, CPI-M and of course DMK whereas AIADMK has joined hands with MDMK and DPI. But nothing can be written off before the elections. If DMK wins then this will be the 5th time that M.Karunanidhi will be the chief minister of Tamil Nadu whereas Jayalalitha is seeking her 3rd term as the chief minister.

This election will see AIADMK contesting in 182 seats, 35 seats for MDMK, 9 to DPI whereas DMK will contest in 129 seats, 48 to Congress, 31 to PMK, 13 to CPI, while CPM and UML got 10 and 3 seats respectively.

Lets look at the manifesto of both the parties:

DMK:

• Rice at Rs 2/kg.
• A free colour TV for women of every family.
• Rs 1000 maternity assistance for 6 months.
• Free gas stove for every poor family.
• Coop loans to farmers to be waived.
• Free power to ryots, weavers.
• Reservation for minorities.
• Free electricity to Weavers in addition to farmers.
• 2 acres of land to the landless poor families.
• Old age pension increased to Rs.400/-

AIADMK:

• 5 lakh IT Jobs in 5 years.
• Opening a Engineering colleges equivalent to IIT Chennai in more then 5 major cities of Tamilnadu.
• Ensure Tamilnadu garden of peace.
• Develop new technology for more growth.
• Take the states economy to new heights.
• Introduce more development schemes for people’s welfare.
• Eradicate illiteracy.
• Improve the lot of women.
• Attracting foreign companies to invest in Tamilnadu.
• Works towards prosperity of farmers, weavers, fishermen, students, government employees, teachers, workers and other sections of peoples.
• Control prices.
• Snuff out communalism, extremism, un separatism.
• Deal with inter-state issues in amicable manner.

Other than these two parties, other parties contesting the elections are Vijaykanths's DMDK, BJP, and Lok Paritran started by the IIT'ans. Eventhough Lok Paritran is contesting only in 5 to 6 seats hope they ll bring some change in TamilNadu politics.