Karunanidhi slams Jaya over power shortage

Chennai, Oct 3: Claiming that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had indirectly admitted to power shortage in Tamil Nadu, DMK chief M Karunanidhi today (Oct 3) sought to remind her of her promise that the issue would be resolved within three months of her assuming office.

"In a hurriedly issued statement, she has explained about power cuts, saying it will be addressed in a few days. This shows she has admitted power cuts exist in the state," he said.

The DMK chief recalled that Jayalalithaa had promised to address the power cut situation in three months after assuming office and doing away with it altogether by August 2012.

This is an issue over which she had repeatedly attacked him in the past, when he was in office, he said adding that she should rather focus on people's issues than going after DMK men.

While she had criticised his government's decision to purchase power from the open market, she had now proposed the same to handle the situation, he pointed out.

"Her words are now hitting back at her. Not just power cuts but the power loom workers strike demanding wage-hike has hit industry hard. Normalcy does not seem to have returned to Paramakudi where seven persons were killed last month in police firing," he said.

The DMK patriarch also accused her of indulging in vindictive politics, saying "there is a spate of foisted cases against DMK men. It would be better for her and the state if she focuses on people's issues than go on an unhealthy track."

Jayalalithaa made power shortage one of the key issues during her poll campaign for the April 13 Assembly polls.

PTI