Stalin invokes Karuna,slams PM Modi for not raising farmers' income

DMK president M K Stalin on Wednesday invoked the legacy of his late father M Karunanidhi to assure people that poll promises will be fulfilled unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi who did not raise farmers' income.

Hitting the campaign trail here in the Cauvery delta heartland after announcing his party candidates on March 17, Stalin announced crop loan waiver for all sections of farmers and not only small and marginal sections.

"I have come here only after asking the party manifesto panel to release an amendment incorporating loan waiver for all sections of farmers," Stalin said.

Tiruvarur is the birthplace of Karunanidhi and Stalin's meet here marked the first poll campaign after DMK and its allies including the Left parties named their candidates a few days ago.

Invoking the legacy of Karunanidhi, who led the party for half a century till his death last year, he said, "Thalaivar (leader) Kalaignar implemented what he promised during polls."

Free electricity for the farmers was his one such promise which he implemented successfully, he said.

In 2006, Karunanidhi promised loan waiver for farmers to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore and fulfilled it, he recalled. "I ask you in the name of Kalaignar, the path we tread is that of Kalaignar, I am his son, I will do what I promise," he said seeking their votes for his party candidate Poondi Kalaivanan in the bypoll to the Tiruvarur Assembly seat and CPI's Selvaraj for Nagapattinam Lok Sabha constituency.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi he asked: "Modi promised a two-fold increase in the income of farmers. Did he do that?" The DMK chief alleged that Modi captured power only by "lying" during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Similarly, the Prime Minister was now trying to come back to power by giving several "false promises." "Did he fulfil at least one of his promises," he asked and blamed the Prime Minister for not bringing to India the black money that he promised.

The two crore jobs assurance too was not implemented, he said. The DMK chief alleged that the BJP top leader visited Tamil Nadu "two to three times," in the recent past only due to elections.

Stalin also ridiculed Modi, saying the Prime Minister after claiming to root out graft joined hands with Chief Minister K Palaniswami who allegedly "ran a corrupt government" and asked "Is Modi going to eradicate graft by aligning with him?"