Jaya slams Centre in maiden LS poll campaign

AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha on Monday launched her election campaign in the state by criticising the Centre on various fronts. She also urged people to “throw it out” in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

“The Congress-led government at the Centre has plundered the country in the last 10 years. This anti-people Congress rule should be removed. I am sure that the people are against the Congress returning to power,” she said, launching the first phase of election campaign at Kancheepuram.

Jayalalitha said the ensuing election was a turning point for India’s growth and protection from threats from neighbouring countries as the Centre failed to take steps to modernise defence forces.

The AIADMK chief also charged the Centre with betraying Tamil Nadu’s interests by not setting up the Cauvery Management Board to oversee sharing of Cauvery river water,  failure to protect the state’s fishermen from the Lankan Navy, supporting the ruling regime in Sri Lanka, not taking action to retrieve Katchatheevu, low allocation of kerosene, non-supply of power from the central pool and other issues.