DMK's colourful flagship ceased; noTV distribution

Chennai, Mar 2: It might be a big set back for Tamil Nadu's ruling party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) just ahead of the assembly poll which is declared to be held on Apr 13. The election commission bashed on DMK by strictly telling the party to stop distribution of colourful Television sets with immediate effect.

Distribution of colourful TV sets for free is believed as the flagship scheme of M Karunanidhi led party - DMK. In an another jittery to the ruling party, other schemes of the state government including the housing scheme - conversion of thatched huts into concrete houses have also come under the banned list of election commission.

Stating the election commission's code of conduct ahead of polls, Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar stated, "Where the work has begun, there it can go on without any hindrance. The ban is applicable only in cases where work has not begun. The colour TVs can be distributed after the elections."

DMK has so far procured over 1.5 million television sets at an outlay of over Rs 3,500 crore. However, the party workers are now warned of severe actions if they would try to flout the rules imposed by the commission.

Karunanidhi government, during the interim budget of 2011-12, has also allocated Rs 375 crore in the project to convert 250,000 huts into concrete houses in town panchayats.

The central Election Commission on Mar 1 declared the assembly poll date for Tamil Nadu including three other states and one Union Territory. Tamil Nadu's assembly election will be held on one phase on Arp 13, 2011. The counting will be held on May 13, as it was declared by the commission.

OneIndia News