Lok Sabha polls 2024: DMK releases list of 21 candidates, manifesto
The party has allotted the rest of the seats — 18 in all — to its INDIA bloc allies Congress, Left parties, and VCK, among others
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) released its list of 21 candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the poll manifesto at a party meeting at its Chennai headquarters on Wednesday (March 20).
Tamil Nadu's ruling party has allotted the rest of the 39 seats — 18 in all — to its INDIA bloc allies Congress, Left parties, and VCK, among others.
Candidates
The party has retained, among other sitting MPs, party chief MK Stalin’s sister Kanimozhi, TR Baalu, and A Raja.
Dayanidhi Maran has been renominated from Chennai (Central), Kalanidhi Veerasamy from Chennai (North), Tamizhachi Thangapandian from Chennai (South), S Jagathrakshagan from Arakkonam, Baalu from Sriperumbudur, and Kathir Anand from Vellore.
Some of the other candidates are CN Annadurai from Tiruvannamalai, A Mani from Dharmapuri, TM Selvaganapathy from Salem, KE Prakash from Erode, A Raja from Nilgiris, Ganapathy P Rajkumar from Coimbatore, Arun Nehru from Perambalur, S Murasoli from Thanjavur, Thanga Tamilselvan from Theni, and Kanimozhi from Thoothukudi.
There are 11 new faces in the DMK list.
Manifesto
The party also released its manifesto for the polls, touching upon other subjects like appointment of Governors and abolition of Article 356. It has promised statehood for Puducherry and exemption for Tamil Nadu from the NEET exam and complete removal of toll booths on national highways.
Disbanding the current NITI Aayog, set up by the BJP regime, and establishing the Planning Commission again to draft plans based on the requests of state governments is another assurance the DMK has made.
Waiving loans and interests for farmers in nationalised and scheduled banks, waiver of educational loans for students, monthly entitlement of Rs 1,000 for all women in every state and formation of State Development Council by including chief ministers were among the promises made by the DMK.
Promises made
The manifesto also says that till the office of governor is abolished, a governor should be appointed in consultation with the chief minister of the state.
Among the other key promises made by the party in the manifesto are that the CAA and UCC will not be implemented, Article 361, which provides immunity from criminal proceedings to governors, will be amended, and Thirukural will be made a “national book”.
“It is not only a DMK manifesto but the people’s manifesto,” Stalin said. He added that when the BJP came to power in 2014, it “destroyed” India.
“We have formed the INDIA alliance and we will form the government in 2024,” Stalin added.
(With agency inputs)
