Days of AINRC-BJP government in Puducherry are numbered, says former CM

Former Puducherry Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy on Saturday, July 6, 2024 said the AINRC-BJP government in Puducherry has become “unstable” after MLAs belonging to the BJP and the Independents supporting the saffron party in the Assembly have made discordant statements against Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and other Ministers.

Former Puducherry Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy on Saturday, July 6, 2024 said the AINRC-BJP government in Puducherry has become “unstable” after MLAs belonging to the BJP and the Independents supporting the saffron party in the Assembly have made discordant statements against Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and other Ministers.

“The NDA government in Puducherry has become unstable and its days are numbered as the MLAs belonging to BJP and the Independents backing them are unhappy after the loss the BJP suffered in the Puducherry Lok Sabha seat. It could be an internal matter of the BJP, but the issues raised by them are serious in nature,” the Congress leader said, addressing a press conference. 

The Congress party had made serious charges of corruption against the Puducherry government on the policy matter of restobars, tendering process for work in the departments of Local Administration, Public Works, Civil Supplies and Education. Recently, the issue of sandalwood smuggling has surfaced in Puducherry as well, he said. 

“Whatever charges we have raised in the past three years are now being levelled against the Chief Minister and Ministers by the coalition members themselves. The situation has reached a stage where the BJP members are openly talking about corruption by the Chief Minister and Ministers. They have even complained to the Lt Governor and Union Ministers,” the former CM said. 

Reiterating the charges of corruption against the Cabinet, the Congress leader challenged the Chief Minister to dispute the allegations now raised by the BJP members. The Chief Minister has so far not denied any of the allegations raised by the BJP MLAs, he said.

Mr. Narayanasamy also said he would be writing to the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister seeking an inquiry into the encroachment of land by a petrol pump owner at Kannikoyil on Cuddalore Road. Around 4,000 square feet of land belonging to a private housing colony has been encroached upon by the petrol pump owner, he said. The complaints filed by the members of the housing colony were not entertained by the police as the petrol pump owner was close to Home Minister A. Namassivayam, the Congress leader alleged. “Mr. Namassivayam has not changed his style of functioning even after the Lok Sabha defeat,” he said.

The former CM also flayed the police for registering a case against the functionaries of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam for putting up posters carrying allegations against Minister for Public Works K. Lakshminarayanan.