DMK is poll partner: Rahul Gandhi

After stirring the hornet's nest by making reference to rival Jayalalithaa a few days ago, Congress General secretary Rahul Gandhi today sought to assuage its ally the DMK, saying it is very much its partner in the elections.
    
"We are part of an alliance. We are fighting the elections with partner DMK," he said at a public meeting here in support of Home Minister and Congress candidate P Chidambaram.
    
Gandhi's remarks assume significance as the DMK is said to be upset by his reference to Jayalalithaa in a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday which were interpreted as overtures to the AIADMK for a post-poll alliance.
    
A day after Gandhi's remarks, Congress President Sonia Gandhi cancelled her visit to Chennai for a joint public meeting with the DMK chief M Karunanidhi, once again fuelling speculation that all is not well with the alliance.
    
However, the Congress legislature party leader in Tamil Nadu D Sudarsanam announced today that Sonia Gandhi and
Karunanidhi would share a platform on Sunday in Chennai.
    
Referring to the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, a major plank of political parties in Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi said the UPA government has taken "all steps possible" to mitigate the sufferings of the Tamils in the island.

"If there is going to be a solution in Sri Lanka, it's going to be through a democratic means as civilians in Sri Lanka have to get their rights," Gandhi said.
    
He said in the last few months UPA government had sent ministers and several others to Sri Lanka and it had managed to improve there. "Today they are not using any weapons. They have stopped the hostilities. Civilians in Sri Lanka should not be harmed. They need protection," he said.
    
Gandhi also said that Government of India too was going to do, whatever within its powers, to ensure protection of Sri Lankan Tamils."
    
Stating that the Congress-DMK alliance was going to win the election in Tamil Nadu, he said he was predicting so based on what the UPA has done. "We promised that our government will be the government of the poor and we delivered that promise."
    
He said Delhi had sent thousands of crores of rupees for development of Tamil Nadu. Similarly, they implemented the
National Rural Employment Guarantee programme by which 100 days of work to a member of every rural household was assured.
    
The previous government did not protect the farmers. But UPA government waived the farm loans to the tune of Rs 70,000
crore and opened the doors of the banks for farmers. "Your MP P Chidambaram was part of that decision" 
    
Rahul Gandhi said micro-finance assistance was given to 30 lakh Self-Help Groups to carry the economy of the country forward and improve the status of women.
   
Regarding projects for Tamil Nadu, he said a desalination plant was sanctioned. Even in Sivaganga constituency where Chidambaram is contesting from, tremendous amount of work had been done. "16,000 education loans had been given. The farmers in the district had been given farm loan waiver to the tune of Rs 67 crore. Chennai-Tiruchi-Rameswaram BG conversion work had been undertaken and 46 new bank branches had been opened.
   
A Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd unit would also be operational soon.
   
He also said that they were going to work with the youth of Tamil Nadu to change the face of this country. "We spent a lot time in Uttar Pradesh and northern states. After the elections I will come to Tamil Nadu and work with the youth of Tamil Nadu. We look forward to come here soon."

Claiming that his family had a special place in its heart for the Tamils of not only Tamil Nadu, but all over the world including USA, Europe and Sri Lanka, Gandhi reiterated the government as well as the Congress party's stand that Tamil brothers in Sri Lanka should be protected.