AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday launched her campaign for the May 16 Assembly election by highlighting her government’s performance and sought votes to continue what she called “such remarkable achievements”.
Advertisement
She said if her party comes back to power, her government would reduce the timing of liquor shop’s sale.
Assuring that it would be done in a staggered manner, she said that as a first step, working hours of liqour retail outlets would be reduced, followed by cutting down their numbers.
She said that liquor sales had more than doubled in the state during DMK rule between 2006 and 2011, proving that the party encouraged drinking.
She charged DMK president M.Karunanidhi with lifting prohibition in 1971 and introducing liquor to a generation that did not know about drinking.
If implemented, Tamil Nadu will be the fifth state to impose a complete ban on alcohol. A beaming Jayalalithaa flashed the party’s two leaves symbol as soon as she arrived to a rousing welcome by party workers and said her life is dedicated for the growth and joy of the people.
When pressed for an answer, he said “I have given you enough hints that the manifesto, to be released in another 10 days, will have important issues”.
On the Chennai floods and the government’s relief measures, Jayalalithaa said the rains were unprecedented and around Rs. 658 crore of relief fund has been credited to the bank accounts of the flood affected families.
Acknowledging the power of the prohibition slogan, especially among women who bear the brunt of alcoholism, Jayalalithaa spent a good part of her 70-minute speech on the subject as mobile LED screens took the message live across all the constituencies in the Tamil Nadu capital.
Advertisement
Her party is contesting 227 seats of the 234 seats in the state assembly, leaving seven seats for her allies. After his death in 1987, Tamil Nadu voters have been electing DMK and AIAMDK alternatively.
