AIADMK stages statewide protest against power tariff hike

CHENNAI: The AIADMK under the party's 'interim general secretary and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami staged a state-wide protest against the DMK's proposal to hike the power tariff.

Except in Chennai, the stir was held in various cities, including Coimbatore, Tiruchy, Madurai and Namakkal, where a large number of AIADMK cadres shouted slogans for immediate withdrawal of the plan to increase electricity charges.

In Coimbatore, the protest was led by former minister SP Velumani and in Namakkal, it was former electricity minister P Thangamani. Likewise, in Villupuram, the demonstrations were held under former law minister C Ve Shanmugam. In Madurai it was former cooperative minister R Kamaraj.

The leaders, who led the demonstrations, also claimed that the proposal to also increase the property tax by the DMK government would affect the common and middle-class people.

In addition, the protesters also charged the State government for the increase in the prices of essential commodities besides increasing law and order issues.

The DMK functionaries also alleged that the DMK government has totally failed to fulfil its poll promises to the people, who voted for them to come back to power. The AIADMK sources said that in Chennai another protest demonstration will be held on July 27.