Lok Sabha polls | AIADMK slams Congress, BJP on issue of Statehood for Puducherry

AIADMK criticizes Congress and BJP on Puducherry statehood, highlighting failures and moral authority in upcoming elections.

The AIADMK on Saturday, April 6, 2024, slammed the Congress and the BJP on the issue of Statehood for Puducherry.

Campaigning for G. Thamizhvendhan, the party’s candidate for the Puducherry Lok Sabha seat at Muthialpet, AIADMK Puducherry unit secretary A. Anbalagan said that for decades, the Congress had been in power at the Centre and in Puducherry.  However, it did nothing to accord Statehood for Puducherry. The DMK also shared power with Congress at the Centre. Similarly, the BJP had been in power at the Centre for the past 10 years but failed to deliver on the Statehood issue, he said. 

“All the three parties have failed on this issue. Only AIADMK has the moral authority to speak on this subject,” he said. 

Mr. Anbalagan also attacked Congress for being silent over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “The Congress is not talking about CAA. They are claiming to be champions when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities but will not give any assurance on the CAA,” he said. 

He also questioned the moral authority of former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy to campaign for the Congress. “His five-year rule was the darkest period of governance in the Union Territory and he is now giving false assurances,” AIADMK leader said. 

Mr. Anbalagan also attacked the BJP for trying to sell the profit-making Electricity Department of the Union Territory to a private player.