Congress names Gandhi-Vadra family & Karnataka netas star campaigners for Tamil Nadu polls

In the latest development, Congress has named the Gandhi-Vadra family encompassing interim chief Sonia Gandhi, ex-president Rahul Gandhi among other senior leaders as the party's star campaigners for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Congress, which is contesting in 25 assembly seats and the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha constituency, named the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former finance minister P Chidambaram, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, DK Shivakumar, former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Manish Tewari, Karti Chidambaram and other leaders as its campaigners for the poll-bound southern state. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to address a joint rally with DMK supremo MK Stalin on March 28 in Salem where leaders from their alliance parties will also participate in the campaign. 

Congress names star campaigners for Tamil Nadu elections

Congress manifesto vows NEET ban, new farm laws

Congress has vowed to introduce new farm laws in place of the legislation passed by the Centre if voted to power, as it unveiled its election manifesto earlier this month. Unveiling Congress' election manifesto, TNCC chief KS Alagiri had slammed CM Edappadi Palaniswami for supporting the farm laws and claimed that the ruling AIADMK government favoured the laws and not the farmers. Elections are scheduled to be held in a single-phase in the state, with the polling of votes on April 6 followed by the counting and declaration of results on May 2. 

Speaking to the press after the manifesto launch, Congress leader KS Alagiri said that new farm laws will be introduced in place of the existing ones to 'protect the farmers'. The Congress leader claimed that the party would implement the findings of the MS Swaminathan report. Congress also echoed DMK's promise to ban NEET exams if elected to power and vowed to take steps to increase the 7.5% quota for govt school-going students in all vocational colleges, including medicine, to 10%. 

Further, Congress vowed to urge the Centre to include fishermen in the list of tribals as per the Mandal Commission, citing that they stayed away from the mainland and hence were required to be recognized. It also vowed to bring a complete ban on alcohol in the state if elected to power. The DMK ally assured to provide equal opportunities for women in education and employment while also promising to increase pension for senior citizens. 

Tamil Nadu elections

With AIADMK announcing its state alliance with BJP, the EPS-OPS-led party has declared itself as the ' big brother' in the NDA alliance. Former Jaya aide Sasikala announced her sudden decision to quit politics, thereby ending speculations of her role in the upcoming elections. The AIADMK has also survived a long-running tug-of-war over its leadership with Sasikala announcing her intention to retire from politics, and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran allying his AMMK with the SDPI, Asaduddin Owaiai's AIMIM and Captain Vijaykanth's DMDK. Meanwhile, in a bid to woo voters, EPS has announced a massive farm loan waiver, free COVID vaccines, Pongal gift and rescinded cases against Jallikattu protestors, anti-CAA protestors, COVID lockdown violators and Kudankulam nuclear power plant protestors. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats. 

(Image credit: PTI)