Parliamentary election 2014: the DMK (Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam) manifesto
Seeking to widen its social base beyond the traditional OBCs, the DMK mooted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for all traditional fishermen on the lines of Kerala and Karnataka, and vowed to work for amendments to dispense with ‘creamy layer’ in reservations. Releasing the party’s Lok Sabha election manifesto, DMK leader M. Karunanidhi said the party would press for complete free education to SCs and STs up to professional degree courses “without any obstacle.” In a dash of populism aimed at young voters, the DMK demanded complete waiver of education loans given to students from BCs, MBCs and other poorer sections. Placing emphasis on enlarging the Mandal agenda, the DMK’s carefully crafted manifesto, focusing on issues of social justice, called for mandatory reservation in the private sector. It also reiterated the need for caste-based census along with the usual census count.