DMK president Karunanidhi questions decision to sell tur dal through Tamil Nadu outlets

CHENNAI: DMK today questioned the state government's decision to sell tur dal through state-run outlets, saying the latter had woken up from sleep, 'probably' because elections are due next year.

Quoting pulses wholesale dealers, DMK president M Karunanidhi said the state's announcement to make available 500 tonnes of imported tur dal allotted by the Centre at Rs 110 per kg through 91 cooperative outlets effective November 1, would not be enough as it would last only nine days.

Karunanidhi listed the quantum jump in the rates of pulses in the last three months, recalling he had already highlighted the issue, "but the government had not acted."

Due to the "unprecedented" increase in prices of pulses, 'sambar' or 'kuzhambu', South Indian gravy part of the diet, was being given a miss by poor families, he claimed.

"Only after this, the Tamil Nadu government has woken up from its half-sleep and announced that tur dal will be sold through (cooperative) outlets probably because elections are due (in 2016)," Karunanidhi said in a statement.

Recalling a statement by Dravidian veteran and DMK founder late C N Annadurai, Karunanidhi took a swipe at Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's visit to Kodanadu when the prices of pulses were spiralling.

Jayalalithaa had left for the hill station last week, with the government saying she will continue discharging her official duty from there.