Chennai, March 29: The Tamil Nadu polls could turn into a “rice war” with the DMK promising to nearly halve the cereal’s price under the public distribution system ? already the lowest in the country ? if voted to power.

The Rs 2-a-kg offer, which could lighten the state’s pocket by an extra Rs 1,500 crore, reflects the party’s attempt to borrow a ploy that had fashioned its first ever electoral success under Annadurai four decades ago.

Releasing the party’s poll manifesto today, M. Karunanidhi also promised free colour TV sets for every household that do-esn’t have one, and free gas stoves for all below-poverty-line families. The sops came a day after the ruling ADMK promised to continue with the current price of Rs 3.50 a kg for PDS rice.

With the Centre having raised the central issue price of the cereal, the state’s food subsidy bill is expected to rise to Rs 1,500 crore in 2006-07 if the current price is maintained. If cut down to Rs 2 a kg, the bill could balloon to nearly Rs 3,000 crore.

Of the 1.88-crore house- holds with ration cards in the state, 1.76 crore have opted for rice. In 1967, Annadurai had stymied the Congress by his offer of “three padis of rice for one rupee”. But after coming to power, the DMK could offer only one padi ? a traditional unit of measurement in vogue at the time ? at that price.

Karunanidhi’s eyes, however, glistened with optimism as he announced a string of promises. “No income criterion: it (rice) will be available for all ration card holders,” he clarified to reporters.

As for the colour TV scheme, it had been devised with “the recreation of women and the need to keep them abreast of the latest developments in mind”. The sets would be distributed on the birth anniversaries of Dravidian stalwarts Thanthai Periyar and C.N. Annadurai.

DMK party managers believe the scheme is an effective counter to Jayalalithaa’s sop of free bicycles for students of classes XI and XII.

The manifesto offers free electricity to weavers in addition to farmers, free computer training to the rural youth, restoration of all the perks that Jayalalithaa had taken away from government employees and teachers over the years, and staunch opposition to FDI in retail.

The DMK has also promised to press the Centre for a constitutional amendment to bring in “reservation for Muslims and Christians in state appointments and educational institutions”.

“We will also enact legislation to provide reservation to them in Tamil Nadu,” Karunanidhi declared.

To the film and TV industries, the party has offered slashed outdoor shooting charges. In a sop to Tamil sentiments, the manifesto pledges to “reinstall the statue of Kannagi, the icon of Tamil women’s chastity”, which had been removed by the state government.