With just a week left for the Puducherry Legislative Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a large roadshow from Ansari Duraisamy Road to Kamaraj Salai in the Union Territory.
Puducherry Chief Minister Rengasamy, Home Minister Namachivayam and BJP state President and Raj Bhavan Assembly Constituency Candidate Mana Ramalingam also participated in the roadshow.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with BJP workers in the Union Territory, urging them to intensify grassroots outreach and convert public support into votes.
Addressing party workers, PM Modi reiterated his development vision for Puducherry, highlighted the "BEST" mantra: Business, Education, Spirituality and Tourism, as a roadmap for growth. "When I visited Puducherry, I gave the mantra of BEST for the development of Puducherry... I'm happy that the people of Puducherry, especially our youth, very much liked it," he said.
Emphasising booth-level mobilisation, the Prime Minister called on workers to adopt the slogan "Mera Booth, Sabse Mazboot" and undertake door-to-door campaigns. "Go door-to-door, meet every single citizen, and clearly tell them that - Congress-DMK means Family First, BJP-NDA means Puducherry First, India First," he said, taking a swipe at the Opposition ahead of the polls.
Targeting the Congress-DMK alliance, PM Modi accused them of prioritising dynastic politics while ignoring governance. He said internal conflicts within the Opposition bloc reflected their lack of commitment to public welfare, even as they continued to seek electoral gains.
The Prime Minister also asked workers to engage women voters with data-driven outreach, highlighting safety and welfare initiatives.
"Please inform them that the women's crime rate in Puducherry is 25, which is lower than the national average. Additionally, let them know that all reported cases are actively investigated by the police," he said.
"The BJP-NDA government has done a lot for women's welfare. Therefore, meet women in small groups and inform them about the central government's women empowerment schemes. Along with security, the earnings of sisters and daughters should increase... This too is a very big priority for the BJP-NDA. The central government has launched the Lakhpati Didi campaign; meet people, mothers and sisters, and provide detailed information about it," he said.
Calling for unity among NDA allies, PM Modi stressed that creating a favourable atmosphere was not enough. "In elections, creating a favourable atmosphere or "mahaul" is not enough. This support must be translated into actual votes, and only the dedicated booth-level workers can accomplish this task," he said.
Focusing on Puducherry's tourism-driven economy, PM Modi said the number of visitors has doubled in recent years, aided by improved connectivity and visa reforms.
Voting in Puducherry will take place on April 9. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15.
In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, AINRC emerged as the largest party with 10 seats, followed by DMK with six seats, while BJP and Congress won six seats each. The voter turnout was recorded at 84.8 per cent. While in the 2016 elections, Congress had secured a majority with 15 seats, AINRC won eight seats, AIADMK bagged four seats, and DMK got two seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent.
(With inputs from ANI)