PUDUCHERRY: Lashing out at the Congress government for not fulfilling the promises made to the people, former chief minister and All India NR Congress chief N Rangasamy said that his party would provide a non-corrupt, transparent and fair government.
Addressing AINRC’s first public conference, he said the present government had betrayed all sections of the people and hence they should now overthrow it and ensure a change of rule in the state.
Saying that his party would follow ‘Kamarajar’s path’, he said his party believed in ‘Makkal Shakthi’ (people’s power) and that it aspired to put an end to the misrule of the present government, which failed on many fronts.
He exhorted the people to bring in a change of rule and assured them that if elected, his party would strive for the balanced development of Puducherry, Kariakal, Mahe and Yanam.
Rangasamy, who started his speech at 4.10 pm and ended after speaking for three hours and seven minutes, said the AINRC, which was launched in February, would get the election commission’s recognition on Monday.
The former CM, who delved into the circumstances which led to his ouster from the CM’s post, laid the blame for the same at jealousy’s door. “It is jealousy. Some people thought that if I am allowed go ahead like this, I will continue as chief minister for ever. I cannot see any other reason than this,” he said. But Rangasamy did not mention any names of the ministers of the present government during the course of his lengthy speech.
He cited the failures of the present government - not creating employment opportunities for the youth, non-distribution of flood relief, not providing housing assistance for the backward classes and schemes for fishermen.
He was particularly harsh on the Adi Dravidar Welfare department and demanded an inquiry into the Special Component Plan fund.
Rangasamy, who charged that some ministers of the government were treating politics as business, said that many of them were taking credit for the schemes started during his seven years’ regime.
He added that it was not a problem as long as people were reaping the benefits.
On his rivals’ criticism that officials had to chase him to his tennis courts for getting the files cleared, Ranngasamy said that he was ready to address the people’s problems anywhere and was always ready to meet them.
“I go out to meet the people. But some of the ministers do not even move out. They even stopped allowing visitors to the Assembly,” he said.
The shy, retiring leader reiterated his party’s claim of providing the youth more employment opportunities and filling up all vacancies.
