NEWS
VIEWS
INTERVIEWS
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
ISSUES '98
MANIFESTOS
OVERHEARD
POLLING BOOTH
INDIA SPEAKS!
YEH HAI INDIA
CHAT

TMC promises Cauvery waters, protection from Article 356

The Tamil Maanila Congress election manifesto promises to provide adequate safeguards to prevent misuse of Article 356 of the Constitution, which empowers the President to dismiss state governments.

The manifesto, released in Madras on Tuesday by TMC president G K Moopanar, said the party would strive for a government at the Centre comprising regional and national parties which were not communal in nature.

The party would oppose mixing of religion with politics and ensure a harmonious secular government and society, the manifesto said.

The TMC would strive to amend the Constitution to ensure devolution of more financial powers to the states and the local bodies, the manifesto said.

The party's objective was to ensure education to all in a short span of time, it added.

On the Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the manifesto said the party would take every step to ensure the rightful allocation of Cauvery water to the state. It, however, was silent on how to ensure the rightful allocation to the state. The manifesto also called for linking major southern rivers and the nationalisation of all rivers.

The manifesto said the TMC would support the Lok Pal bill intended to eradicate corruption, as the party itself was born out of its fight against corruption, the manifesto said.

It alleged that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which was steeped in corruption was standing in for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the election. The BJP's so-called fight against corruption had been exposed by its alliance with the AIADMK, the manifesto claimed.

Tell us what you think of this report