DMK President M Karunanidhi tonight said his party would strive for the development of Dravidian culture and for upholding the self-respect of the Dravidians and their prosperity.

Taking note of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa's remarks calling him a 'traditional enemy', in an obvious reference to her Brahmin caste, Karunanidhi told an election rally here that recent archaeological findings of Indus valley scripts in Mayiladuthurai in Nagapattinam district indicated that the people who lived in Tamil Nadu belonged to the Dravidian race similar to those who lived in the Indus valley.

He, as a descendant of this Dravidian race, would work for its development, he said sharing the platform with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

"I did not enter public life for the sake of power. I joined the movement of rationalist leaders like Periyar E V Ramasamy to uphold the Dravidian race and work for its future," Karunanidhi claimed adding that his journey would continue, whether he was in power or not

On Jayalalithaa's claim that she had made Tamil Nadu the 'numero uno' state, Karunanidhi alleged that the food grain production in the state had come down from 83 lakh tonnes when the DMK was in power to 42 lakh tonnes during AIADMK regime.

The paddy production which was 73.66 lakh tonne during the DMK regime had come down to 35.77 lakh tonne, Karunanidhi said and wondered how Jayalalithaa was claiming that Tamil Nadu had progressed to the first place.

He claimed during his government ten industries, including the Ford and Hyundai, with investments of more than Rs. 100 crore were set up. In all, 247 bridges and 77 police stations were constructed, while not a bridge or single police station was built during AIADMK rule.

Jayalalithaa was now falsely claiming that the DMK regime had not contributed anything to the industrial development of the state and that it had taken place only under her regime, without showing any statistics to support her contention, he charged.

He also accused Jayalalithaa of withdrawing the marriage assistance scheme of Rs.10,000 for newly-wed girls, and now offering half a sovereign of gold for electoral gains.

"Vote for a government which respects tears and perspiration", he added.