Stepping stone for future feats

CHENNAI: Thanking the leaders of political parties who praised her for the achievements of the AIADMK government in its first year of the current term, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said, “The present achievements will form the base for us to scale greater heights.” Responding to the felicitations offered by the leaders of various political parties in the State Assembly, the CM said the ruling party and the Opposition had a common agenda — development of the State and its people — and sought their cooperation taking Tamil Nadu ahead in the path to glory. “I thank all those who hailed the government’s achievements, those opposition parties that praised the government for its achievements and pointed out the shortcomings and those opposition parties that have the policy of not appreciating the government at all,” the CM said.“The one year rule of the AIADMK showed that the rule of law has replaced autocracy in the State,” Jayalaltihaa said taking an indirect dig at the previous DMK government and faulted it for leaving the State in ruins through its fiscal and mismanagement.Citing the example of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing, who had scaled the Mount Everest overcoming all obstacles, Jayalalithaa said that the government headed by her had been swimming against a forceful current of many obstacles. The government had achieved several feats despite the Centre’s indifference, inheriting a government laden with debt, misadministration, poor financial condition of the state electricity board, transport corporations and Aavin.”“Like Hillary and Tenzing, the AIADMK government has transformed these obstacles into stepping stones and put the State back on the track of growth,” she said.