The 38-page election manifesto of the AIADMK has much more to say on economic policies for Tamil Nadu than the 16-page manifesto of the DMK.
The two manifestoes, for the forthcoming general elections, were released last week.
The mention of the word "economic policy" in DMK's manifesto and references to the "repeal of POTA" and "the freedom of the press"-- between the sections on infrastructure and income-tax exemption -- indicate what the DMK's priorities are.
On the economic front, both parties have asked the Centre to increase the state's share in centre's tax collection to 50 per cent. The two parties have also stressed on the employment issue, though the proposed methods for creating jobs are very different.
The AIADMK proposes to create jobs through more investments and using central assistance in reviving sick units in the textile and heavy industries sector.
The DMK promises that it will insist on the appointment of one million women, who have studied up to Class X, as village workers to propagate various measures of the government among the beneficiaries.
The party also seeks to gainfully employ one million, youth who have studied up to Class X, for the maintenance of the 13,000-km Golden Quadrilateral and other national highways.
By and large the DMK's manifesto does not go too deeply into the economic issues or concerns. The AIADMK, on the other hand, has gone overboard, calling Tamil Nadu the Detroit of Asia for the car-making base that has evolved in the state.
The manifesto concentrates on trumpeting the Jayalalithaa government's achievements on the industrial front, rather than discussing fresh measures that would be taken to spur overall economic activity in the state.
What is clear is that a lot of efforts has gone into defining the economic policies in the AIADMK's manifesto.
But with the sights of both parties set on the state, there are no prescriptions on how they will conduct themselves if they are part of an alliance at the centre.
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