JOIN USCongress collapsing across India due to dynasty politics, says Amit Shah
Terming former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy as “corrupt”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday alleged that he “diverted" to the Nehru-Gandhi family Rs 15,000 crore that the Centre dispatched to the Union Territory for various development works.
Contending that the Congress was “declining” across the country due to its obsession with dynasty politics, Shah asked people of Puducherry to vote for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by overthrowing Narayanasamy as he accused him of serving the Gandhi family and not the electorate of the Union Territory.
Addressing a rally in the Karaikal district of the UT, Shah asserted that “lotus will bloom” in the Puducherry Assembly and took a dig at the Congress Government, which resigned on February 22 after losing its majority, for failing to fulfil promises made during the 2016 assembly elections.
“During the last election, Narayanasamy Ji promised to build an IT Park and Electronics Park. Where are those parks? If he can give the address of the parks, we can also go and have a look at them,” Shah said, mocking the Congress leader. He also alleged that Narayanasamy got himself elected as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader by manoeuvring with the Gandhi family, side-lining A Namasivayam, who is now with BJP.
BJP, which lost all 30 constituencies in Puducherry in the 2016 elections, has formed a rainbow alliance under the leadership of N R Congress headed by former Chief Minister N R Rangasamy. The party hopes to play a crucial role in the formation of the next government in the UT – Shah's rally also saw former Congress MLAs and leaders joining the BJP.
Shah's speech in Hindi, translated into Tamil, centred around Narayanasamy, Gandhi family, and the Congress government's “corruption.” “The Centre sent Rs 15,000 crore to Puducherry for development funds. Narayanasamy Ji diverted the funds to the Gandhi family. Did you get the money in your village or town?” he asked.
He also latched onto Narayanasamy translating a complaint by a woman against him to a compliment during former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's visit to the UT and called him a “liar.”
Targeting former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for demanding a separate ministry for the fisherfolk, Shah said that the NDA government had fulfilled the demands of the fisherman community two years back. “Rahul bhaiya you were on vacation (then),” Shah said, taking a dig at him.
Shah also accused Narayanasamy of postponing elections to local bodies due to the fear that “lotus will bloom.” “How long can you hold (our march)? You feared that we will win local body polls. But now lotus will bloom in the Assembly. You cannot stop it,” he said.