DMK releases first list of candidates and manifesto for Lok Sabha elections

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin on Wednesday announced the party's candidates list for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Stalin also announced the party's manifesto and said that it is DMK who made the manifesto before the election and continued it.

"Do what we say is what our leaders taught us. Our Party Deputy General Secretary and my sister header the election manifesto committee and prepared it. As Kanimozhi said they went all over the state and listened to various. It's not only a DMK manifesto but a people's manifesto," he said.

The DMK has fielded Kalanidhi Veerasami from North Chennai, Tamilachi Thangapandian from South Chennai, and Dayanidhi Maran from Central Chennai.

Kanimozhi has been given the Thuthukudi constituency, from which she won earlier.

TR Balu will contest from Sriperumbatur, Jagathrachahan from Arakonam, Kadhir Anand from Vellore, Annadurai from Thiruvanamalai, Dharani from Aarani, Selvagapathi from Selam, Prakash from Erode, A Raja Niligiri, Ganapathi Rajkumar from Kovai, Arun Neru from Perambalur, Murasoli from Tanjore, Thanga Tamil Selvam from Theni and Rani from Thenkasi.

While releasing the manifesto here today, MK Stalin said "When BJP came to power in 2014 have destroyed India much. No of their election promise was fulfilled. It's not good to continue Modi as PM. We have formed an INDIA alliance."

"We have an explainer of what we will do when we come to power. It's a 64-page election manifesto. Special schemes for TN and schemes for every district are given in this manifesto," he added.

According to the manifesto, there will be a Supreme Court branch in Chennai, state rights for Puducherry, Union Exam in Tamil, Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils who returned to India, Rs 1000 monthly money for women all over India, toll gates in NH will be taken, CAA will be not implemented, LPG will be sold for Rs 500, Petrol for Rs 75 and Diesel for Rs 65, Uniform civil code will not be implemented.

DMK MP Kanimozhi said " Manifesto of DMK is always an important task for us. In the DMK we do give importance for manifesto. I thank our leader MK Stalin to give me chance to head the manifesto committee and thank all the committee members. While we sought the views of people we saw how good this Dravidian Model Government has been able to achieve for the people."

*To make our Dravidian model all over India this election manifesto will help. I am sure we will win not only 40 seats in Tamil Nadu bit our alliance will win at the center as well" she added.

Tamil Nadu is voting on April 19 in a single phase of polling. During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats.