PUDUCHERRY: Vaithilingam, the sitting MP and Congress candidate in Puducherry, speaks about his prospects in the constituency as it is expected to be a battle of giants with Home Minister A Namassivayam being one his opponents.
After a historic win by a margin of 1.97 lakh votes against Rangasamy’s AINRC in 2019, what are your hopes for this time and what do you think are people’s key concerns?
I see great prospects for another victory. People are looking for a change as they are dissatisfied with the NDA government in both the UT and the centre. In Puducherry, the government is functioning with the organisations created during the six decades of Congress rule. Nothing has been done to create employment opportunities. Citing financial crunch, they have given permits for over 250 resto bars which is leading to proliferation of drug trafficking like never before. No major industry has been attracted to the UT and the existing one are shutting down. Thus, the INDIA bloc will have advantage here. We are offering new employment opportunities, industrial development, and new schemes.
What are the issues on which you are seeking votes?
The first priority is the establishment of a Public Service Commission which will ensure that local youth get Group A and B posts. Even Delhi has got its own PSC, why not Puducherry? The next is inclusion in the Central Finance Commission (CFC) to address the issue of financial allocation. The third is to pursue the issue of statehood. We are cautioning people against electing BJP to power. Narendra Modi will follow the footsteps of Vladimir Putin (Russian President) if elected to power once again.
What are your promises to people?
A society free from drugs, employment creation, stipend for educated youth, assistance to women from low income groups, and proper pension for factory workers.
Though BJP has never won here, their prospects are better this time with Namasssivayam as the candidate. How do you see the challenge, particularly in the context of Congress suffering a defeat in 2021 Assembly polls after Namassivayam’s jump to BJP?
Namassivayam has no individual strength. His strength was his party, the Congress. If he was so powerful, he need not have shifted from Villianur to Mannadipet to contest in the 2021 elections.
BJP and allies allege that as an MP, you have not brought any major projects to Puducherry. How do you respond to this?
To list out some of my contributions, I have been instrumental in getting the flyover from Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi statues from the centre at an outlay of around `400 crore; brought a central committee to assess and resolve the flood/drought situation and water scarcity in Puducherry; brought another committee to address the issue of coastal erosion; insisted on the construction of a railway line from Puducherry to Tindivanam, which the railway authorities agreed to take up.
While NDA has projected Modi as their PM candidate, INDIA bloc lacks a PM face. Do you think it bodes well for the alliance?
Rahul Gandhi will be INDIA bloc’s PM face. The announcement will be made soon.
The bank accounts of Congress are said to be frozen. Will it affect your campaign?
Unlike the BJP, we don’t depend on money power but people’s voting power. So this won’t be an issue.