Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is going to form the next government under the leadership of BJP in Puducherry in the upcoming assembly elections.
Addressing a public rally ahead of assembly elections in the Union Territory Puducherry's Karaikal district, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shah said, "Based on my political experience, I say that the NDA government is going to be formed under the leadership of BJP in Puducherry in the next elections."
"This land of Puducherry is a very holy land. Mahakavi Subramania Bharati has resided here for a long time and when Sri Aurobindo started his spiritual journey, he preferred Puducherry to begin his future life from this place," he added.
After Narendra Modi became the prime minister, we were striving for Puducherry to become a model state in the entire country, Shah said.
"The PM took steps for the all-round development of the state by sending 115 schemes here. But the government here did not allow these schemes to hit the ground," he said.
Shah slams Congress
Pointing at Congress' remark about BJP's hand in the government losing majority, Shah said: "You had made such a person as the Chief Minister of the state, who lied in front of his supreme leader even in translation."
"With so many big leaders joining BJP, the Congress party is disintegrating not only in Puducherry but across the country due to dynasticism," he added.
Shah alleged that former CM V Narayansamy gave "cut money" to the "Gandhi family" from ₹15,000 crore Central funds.
Attack on Rahul Gandhi
On Rahul Gandhi's remark that there is no dedicated ministry to deal with the issues of fishermen, Shah said the Congress leader was "on vacation" when the NDA formed the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in 2019.
"Some days ago, Rahul Gandhi had asked why there is no fisheries department. I want to know from people whether they want a leader who does not know that Department of Fisheries has been in existence for two years (since 2019)," Shah said.
Questioning the capability of the Congress party to govern the Puducherry, he said, "Can the Congress party do the welfare of Puducherry?
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had demanded the setting up of a separate ministry for fisheries at a meeting in Puducherry. The Wayanad MP's comments came at an interaction with the fishing community in Kollam's Thangassery on 24 February.
"Just like our farmers farm the land, you farm the sea. Farmers have a Ministry in Delhi, you don't. No one speaks for you in Delhi. The first thing I would do is to have a ministry dedicated to the fishermen of India so that your issues can be defended and protected," said the Congress leader.
Elections in Puducherry
Polling for the 30-member Puducherry assembly will be held in one phase on 6 April and the results will be declared on 2 May.
Election dates:
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