Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 26 (ANI): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Spokesperson TKS Elangovan slammed AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, saying Palaniswami was more focused on defending the Central Government than fighting for Tamil Nadu's interests.

He criticised Palaniswami's silence when a 'Union Minister warned that funds would be withheld if policies weren't followed.'

On Wednesday, Elangovan told ANI, 'For the last five years, people know what Edappadi. Even now, he is not fighting for Tamil Nadu against the Central Government, but only defending it. When a Union Minister warned that funds would be withheld if policies weren't followed, he remained silent. He cannot blame us for anything...'

Regarding seat sharing, Elangovan said, 'As for DMK, seat sharing is still being finalised, while most major parties have already completed. Congress has 28 seats pending, but we will release our allocations in a day or two, and the manifesto will come before nominations.'

Elangovan's remarks came after the AIADMK's Palaniswami on Tuesday released the party's election manifesto, promising Rs 2000 monthly to female heads of households.

Palaniswami released a manifesto with 297 promises, including a special assistance of Rs. 10,000 per family to combat tax burdens and rising prices of goods.

'Under the administratively incompetent Stalin-led DMK regime--characterised by its lack of vision--the prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed over the past five years. Consequently, the public has been severely affected. Furthermore, various taxes--including property tax, house tax, electricity tariffs, and water charges--have been hiked. As a result, the daily financial burden on households has increased manifold. Therefore, with the aim of alleviating this burden on the people, a special assistance sum of Rs. 10,000 will be provided to every family,' the manifesto read.

EPS promised the 'Kula Vilakku Scheme' for women, and the manifesto said, 'To foster economic equilibrium within society, a monthly assistance allowance of Rs 2,000 will be provided to all ration cardholders through the 'Kula Vilakku Scheme.' This amount will be deposited directly into the bank account of the female head of the household.'

AIADMK has also promised that the ration card holders will receive lentils along with rice, and will also receive refrigerators.

The party has promised to extend the free bus travel scheme to men, in addition to women. Three free cooking gas cylinders per year for every ration cardholder, the manifesto said.

Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.

Under the NDA seat-sharing agreement, the alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will contest over 170 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been allotted 27 seats, followed by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) with 18 seats, and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) with 11 seats.

The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which also includes Congress, DMDK, and the VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to make his electoral debut with TVK, attempting to turn the upcoming elections into a three-way contest. (ANI)