Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's election manifesto would be the 'hero of 2006'. Addressing a publc meeting in Tiruchirapalli Sunday night, he said it was for the people to decide whether they want rice for Rs 2 per kg or not.
Chidambaram said, "It is practicable to supply rice for Rs 2 per kg and also free land for landless agricultural labourers."
Criticising the ruling Anna India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government led by J Jayalalithaa, he urged the people of the state to put an end to her autocratic rule and termed the government as a "tragic comedy".
He said the AIADMK was rattled by the DMK's poll manifesto, which offers free colour TV sets, rice at Rs 2 per kg, free land, among others.
He also urged the people to repeat the 2004 Lok Sabha polls verdict when the AIADMK was defeated en masse.
"Had I been in the position of Jayalalithaa, I would have resigned from the chief minister's post after the defeat," he said.
Chidambaram dismissed Jayalalithaa's claim that the Self Help Group was her concept and said the idea started during the tenure of late prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1982-83 and in Tamil Nadu, and it was formed during the DMK regime in 1989.
He recalled various welfare schemes brought to the state including as the Sethu Samudram Project announcement to set-up Institute of Port Management, allocation of Rs 100 crore for Madras University among others.
On the AIADMK's criticism over non-release of funds by the Centre when the state was affected by natural calamities, he urged the people to put an end to such confusions and give a clear verdict in the Assembly polls.
