“Who is a better administrator? Is it Gujarat’s Modi or this Tamil Nadu lady?” asked Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa, inviting, for the first time, a direct comparison between herself and the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
As the crowd replied “Lady!” in one voice, Ms. Jayalalithaa thundered again, “Tamil Nadu’s lady is better than Gujarat’s Modi in providing better administration in all spheres of governance.”
Winding up her over-a-month-long campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Chennai, Ms. Jayalalithaa went on to say that as per the Human Development Index, Tamil Nadu was way better. “Tamil Nadu’s growth story is much more inclusive, it is one in which the poor have a role to play,” she said.
Among the indicators she summoned to emphasise her point were infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, foodgrains production, industrial growth, foreign direct investment and efficiency of public distribution system.
In all these areas, Tamil Nadu was way ahead of Gujarat, and as far as crimes against women went, Tamil Nadu recorded a dip while Gujarat witnessed a 65 per cent increase, she added.
A change in government at the Centre was essential, she said, urging the electorate to strengthen her hands so that the AIADMK would be a part of the new government to safeguard the rights of Tamils.
