DPA should retain power in next elections: Karunanidhi

Vellore, Feb 17 (UNI) Asserting that no one could point an accusing finger on the implementation of the most populist free Colour TV scheme, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) should retain power in the next elections with its present partners to launch various people welfare programmes.

Laying the foundation stone for the Rs 45.55-crore building for the Thiruvalluvar University and inaugurating new buildings and schemes and distributing welfare aids to beneficiaries at a function here last night, he said going by the rousing reception given to him by thousands of people all along the route from Chennai to Vellore, he firmly believed that the DPA would retain power in the next polls.

''We want to retain power not for the sake of enjoying power but to use the power to fulfil the demands of the people, like implementing the Hogenakkal water supply scheme for Vellore and creation of a new district with Tirupattur as headquarters,'' he said.

The impression he got from this meeting, attended by several alliance party members, was that the DPA would continue in power even after the next elections, he added.

Mr Karunanidhi said people would not like ''any other party'' to come to power since they have ''already burnt their lips by drinking the hot milk given by that party,'' he said, dropping enough hints that he favoured continuance of the present allies in the DPA.

Listing out the achievements of the more than 20 month long DMK regime, he said the free CTV scheme, one of the populist schemes that catapulted the DMK-led DPA to power in May 2006 Assembly polls, was a big success.

''No one could point an accusing finger at the scheme which was being implemented in a transparent manner, with a committee of Legislators from the DMK, CPI(M), the Congress, the PMK and the Dalit Panthers of India, members deciding the company from which the CTVs had to be procured.'' The CTVs would be given to all people in the state, he said, amid thunderous applause from the large audience.

He also recalled the DMK's promise to create jobs for 20 lakh educated unemployed and said job opportunities were created for 2.50 lakh youths last year. ''But the previous government, headed by the AIADMK, had imposed a ban on recruitment to government departments.

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