Jaya begins poll campaign promising special status to Pondy

Pondicherry, Apr 1 (UNI) AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha today kicked off the election campaign in the Union Territory, promising Special Category Status to Pondicherry, if the AIADMK combine was voted to power.

Addressing a roadside meeting at Madagadippet in the Tamil Nadu -Pondicherry border this evening, Ms Jayalalitha, who forged an alliance with the PMC, MDMK and DPI, charged that the sucessive Congress and DMK Governments had spoiled the cultural heritage of the Union Territory.

Out of ten lakh population, two lakh are unemployed, she claimed and added that if the AIADMK front was voted to power, the unemployment problem of the youths would be resolved and industrial training centres would be set up here.

The Chief Minister alleged that the sucessive Governments had ignored the rural development in the Union territory and neglected the Karaikal region, forcing the people, to seek a seperate Union Territory status for the region.

She also alleged that terrorist organisations driven out of Tamil Nadu, were given asylum here.

She promised to hold the local body elections which were not held for the past 38 years and added that opportunities, would be given to women to contest the Civic Polls.

Ms Jayalalitha also promised the ''Anna danam'' scheme here on the lines of Tamil Nadu and the introduction of ''Goondas Act''.

She is scheduled to address several roadside meetings at different Centres in Pondicherry during her whirlwind tour, before leaving for Cuddalore.

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