DMK releases poll manifesto, proposes ban on death sentence

Abolition of death sentence, statehood to Puducherry, implementation of Sethusamudhram project and making Tamil the local official language are some of the promises made by the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) in its Lok Sabha election manifesto which was released on Tuesday in Chennai.

The M Karunanidhi-led DMK has been opposed to the death sentence to the killers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The DMK has also been backing the demand for the killers to be released from jail.

The DMK has also said that it is against FDI in retail and education. The manifesto also talks about the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The party will urge India to take immediate action for conducting a referendum among Northern and eastern province Tamils.

On being asked as to who the DMK will project as PM candidate among Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi, DMK chief Karunanidhi said, "Neither of them."

DMK chief Karunanidhi has also said that the party is not looking at any pre-poll alliances.

On Monday, the DMK had released its first list of candidates, fielding 2G accused A Raja from his current constituency Nilgiris and Dayanidhi Maran from Central Chennai.

A Raja has been defiant, saying that there is no evidence against him and that he is confident of doing well in the elections. "Yes, it is true that the 2G trial is still going on. Have you come out with any concrete evidence against me? It has been admitted by the CBI that Raja did not have any disproportionate assets," A Raja said.

"The finance secretary came, deposed before court saying there was this much exchequer loss. The trial is going on and I have full faith for the elections," Raja added.