TN: PMK kickstarts campaign for 2016 Assembly polls

Coimbatore, Jul 12: PMK, an ally of the BJP-led NDA in Tamil Nadu, tonight virtually kickstarted its campaign for the 2016 Assembly polls with its chief ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss claiming that the fate of the entire state would be changed if his party came to power.

"You have given opportunities to Dravidian parties --DMK and AIADMK -- many times in the last 50 years. Give us five years, the party will change the state for the better, be it education sector or health," Ramadoss said at a conference here of the party's Kongu Zone (western region).

"The time has come for a change. All those who desire for a change, which is inevitable, from the poor governance of both the Dravidian parties must start thinking and give PMK an opportunity," he said.

Batting for total prohibition, Ramadoss said that his first signature, if he became chief minister, would be on the file for bringing total prohibition in the state. "There are just over 400 libraries in Tamil Nadu as against 6,800 liquor outlets. There is one school for 10 villages, but one TASMAC outlet (state-run liquor unit) exists in each village. Our first priority is to bring about prohibition in the state so that crores of women who are suffering will get relief," he said.

A former Union health minister, Ramadoss claimed that during his stint as part of the central government, he was able to bring in various schemes like National Rural Health Mission and a ban on smoking in public places. Once his party came to power, "it will give a transparent and corruption-free governance", he said.

With the help of the Centre, his party would strive to bring in the Right to Public Service Act and Right to Health Act, along with Lokayukta, within six months of assuming power, he added. Ramadoss, meanwhile, reiterated that PMK would never go for an alliance with DMK or AIADMK.

"We will have an alliance with any other party except these two Dravidian parties," he said. PMK founder-leader, S Ramadoss slammed DMK "for engaging in cheap politics" against PMK as it was afraid that the party would come to power. "PMK, if voted to power, will definitely establish 'Kamaraj rule'. For that to happen, the people should desire for change," he said.

PTI