Chennai:
Journalists in Tamil Nadu may have lost count of the number of letters written by Jayalalithaa to the Prime Minister, since her AIADMK was swept into power in May, last year. A common thread running through most of the communication by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to New Delhi, made available to the media, is the 'step-motherly treatment' meted out to non-Congress ruled or non-UPA ally states. After demands for more power from the Central grid, comes this latest letter that is actually a reminder, for the allocation of more kerosene for the state.
In her letter, Jayalalithaa points out that Tamil Nadu's requirement of kerosene for the Public Distribution System is 65,140 kilo litres of kerosene, every month. The state was getting 52,806 kilo litres earlier. This was "drastically reduced" to 44,580 kilo litres a month, a move, she says was "without reason or logic".
What's worse, "after the AIADMK came to power, kerosene allotment was further reduced to 39,429 kilo litres a month which has caused great hardship to poor people."
Jayalalithaa has asked the Prime Minister to "at least allot 52,806 kilo litres a month to Tamil Nadu".
The Centre's response is awaited. Meanwhile, as the hike in the price of kerosene does not seem to be on the cards, this is a different sort of hike Tamil Nadu needs.