Power, Puts Out Massive Ads

J. Jayalalithaa celebrated her “one year of achievements” as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister with massive front page advertisements on all national dailies across the country. The jacket ad running into four pages has Jayalalithaa’s full page image and list her government’s achievements. Hailing her accomplishments, the ad ‘One Year of Achievements Hundred Years Leap Forward’, carries a message from Jayalalithaa which reads “The vision for Tamil Nadu for 2023 is to become, by then, India’s most prosperous and progressive state with no poverty and where its people enjoy all the basic services of a modern society”. The ad also highlights the work done by the AIADMK government in the last one year in areas like health, security, industries, sports, transport, tourism, environment etc. It also talks about how Jayalalithaa has worked for the welfare of the poor, women, students, minorities, differently abled and farmers. Rajya Sabha MP and former Tamil Nadu CM M. Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi has criticised the ad saying, “It’s alright to bring out advertisements if you have achieved something...don’t know what the CM (Jayalalithaa) has achieved in a year.” CPI leader Gurudas Gupta also disapproved of the idea saying, “It’s a massive wastage of public money. It’s over publicity when CMs get publicity anyways...not just Jayalalithaa, Modi and Mamata have also done so.” Here are the key highlights of the ad: 20 kg free rice to ration card holders and 35 kg to Anthyodhya Anna Yojana card holders every month benefiting