Jayalalithaa deprives Karunanidhi of last hurrah

The J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK has retained power by winning 134 seats in the 234 Assembly seats

Tamil Nadu has voted the ruling party back to power after 32 years. The J Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has retained power by winning 134 seats in the 234 Assembly seats. For two seats, elections were postponed to May 23. In 1984, the AIADMK led by then Chief Minister MG Ramachandran was re-elected.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to congratulate Jayalailthaa when the fifth round of counting was on. The total rounds of counting are 14. During campaigning, the AIADMK's opponents expected an anti-incumbency wave against the government. A few ministers lost their seats, including Natham Viswanathan (power), B Valarmathi (social welfare), Gokula Indira (textiles) and R Vaithilingam (agriculture). Jayalalithaa won from RK Nagar by clocking 60,647 votes, 3,527 more than Shimla Muthuchozhan of the DMK.

"My party and I are indebted to the people of Tamil Nadu for giving us this historic victory, because after 1984, no ruling party in the state has been able to form the government for a second successive time," Jayalalithaa said.

This time there will be a stronger Opposition DMK, which won 71 seats and was leading in another 18. In 2011, the party had 23 seats in the Assembly.

DMK treasurer M K Stalin, son of party President M Karunanidhi, said people gave the party a better position, compared to 2011 as an opposition and it would work to live up to the expectation of the people.

"I wish AIADMK will not stay in power without fulfilling the promises it has given during the election, like what they did during the previous tenure. For DMK, people have given us a better position than what they gave in 2011. No opposition in the history of Tamil Nadu Assembly has received this much seats and this opportunity has been given to DMK. We will continue our work to live up to the confidence of the people," he said.

The third front of the DMDK, MDMK, VCK, TMC and Communist parties did not win a single seat. Vijayakanth, who was the CM candidate for the front also lost in the election. The PMK's chief ministerial candidate also lost. The PMK had gone it alone.

The Bharatiya Janata Party did not win a single seat and the Congress won eight seats. The BJP had aligned with a few small parties and the Congress had joined hands with the DMK. Of the top four exit polls, three had favoured the DMK-Congress alliance.

PROMISES TO KEEP

1. Waiver of all farm loans: Rs 40,000 crore loans for farmers in 2016-21
2. State govt employees’ salary to be revised as per Seventh Pay Commission
3. No foreign direct investment in retail
4. 10 lakh houses promised through various housing schemes
5. 20% land in SME industrial parks will be reserved for SC/ST entrepreneurs
6. 100 units of electricity free every two months
7. Free Laptops with internet for 10th and 12th standard students
8. Poor people to get Amma Banking Card to avail all government services
9. Amma banking card to improve financial services. Users to get interest-free loans and avail of government schemes
10. Govt to reimburse education loans and pay them off for students who are still unemployed
11. Housing loan for govt employees to be raised to  Rs 40 lakh
12. Free cell phones for all ration card holders and free Wi-Fi at public spaces
13. Maternity assistance of Rs 18,000 promised and women to be trained in driving vehicles and subsidy provided to buy auto-rickshaws
14. Women to get 50% subsidy to buy mopeds or scooties
15. Master health check-up and women special check-up to be expanded to all districts
16. Relief for fisherfolk to be increased to Rs 5,000 and separate housing to be provided for them
17. New granite policy and Lok Ayuktha (ombudsman) on the anvil

The AIADMK supremo during her election campaign said "because of the people I am, and I am for the people". While her welfare schemes and electoral freebies promised by the AIADMK will take care of some of their aspirations, experts said Jayalalithaa should also focus on industrialisation to create more job opportunities. During a global investors meet in 2015 the state government claimed it had signed investment agreements worth Rs 2.62 lakh crore.

Jayalalithaa also launched a Vision 2023 during her previous term that envisages the state becoming number one on various parameters.

Ramesh Datla, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Southern Region, while congratulating the chief minister for her historic victory, said, "CII looks forward to working closely with the government of Tamil Nadu in realising the vision set out by the CM to be the numero uno state in the country", Datla added.

Ramesh Kymal, chairman, CII (Tamil Nadu), and chairman and managing director at Gamesa Renewable Private Ltd said, "under the visionary leadership of Jayalalithaa , the state will attract more investments and create further employment opportunities". And, Vision 2023 initiative had added impetus to overall growth of the state. CII would continue its partnership with the state government and work closely on a focused agenda.