BJP terms DMK's manifesto promises hollow

Chennai, Mar 30 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Bandaru Dattatreya today alleged that the opposition DMK's electon manifesto in which it has promised free colour television sets and supply of a kg of rice at Rs 2 showed that it was panicking about its chances in the May 8 assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference here he pointed out that the announcement was reminiscent of DMK's promise in 1967 elections of 3 kg of rice at Re one. But this proved to be impracticable even at that time and could not be implemented.

He pointed out that the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N T Rama Rao could sustain this promise but soon after succeeding him, Chandra Babu Naidu was forced to scrap it and supplied rice at Rs 3.50 per kg.NTR's scheme cost the exchequer Rs 12 crore.

The DMK's promise is impracticable because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the states not to go in for populist schemes involving subsidies as it was a burden, he charged.

Mr Dattatreya also criticised as mere empty promise, the DMK's promise in its manifesto of three lakh jobs for unemployed youth and Rs 300 dole can also not be implemented. ''The Congress government led by Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has also made a similar promise on jobs. But till date not a single appointment has been made'', he alleged.

He also criticised the promise of stalling disinvestment in profit making public sector units and VAT as impracticable as the Manmohan Singh government, of which the DMK leading the DPA was a key constituent, has already disinvested to the tune of 74 per cent in the telecom sector.

''Who will the DMK ministers at the Centre follow, the Prime Minister or their party leader'', Mr Dattatreya said.

The DMK has been alleging that the ruling AIADMK has been making empty promises, but now it is following suit, he also alleged.

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