BJP will be wiped out in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry: Senior Congress leader Narayanasamy

PUDUCHERRY: Expressing confidence of winning the Lok Sabha elections, former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy on Sunday said that "BJP will be wiped out in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu."

He also stressed that Congress' priority is securing full statehood for Puducherry.

Responding to a question about why the Congress has not given statehood to Puducherry despite being in power for a long time both at the Centre and in the union territory, Narayanasamy told ANI, "Congress was previously advocating for special category status and now they have shifted its stand to demand full statehood."

Narayanasamy also questioned the BJP's failure to deliver full statehood despite holding power both in the Union Territory and at the Centre.

Further, the former CM asserted that the main agenda of all the political parties, including Congress is statehood to Puducherry.

"The priority of our Puducherry is that we have been demanding statehood for a long time now. That is our main priority. Because, being an LG, who is the administrator here, they are putting spokes on every decision that has been taken by the state cabinet. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the elected government to deliver to the people whatever promises they make. Therefore, the main agenda of all the political parties in position, including Congress, is statehood. In fact, in the Congress party manifesto, one of the items that we have mentioned is statehood. If the INDIA alliance comes to power at the Centre, Puducherry will be given full statehood," he said.

According to Narayanasamy, there is a trend against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he believes that this sentiment will result in the BJP's downfall in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.

"The trend seems to be against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in favour of Rahul Gandhi. For people, the personality of Rahul Gandhi is more acceptable than Modi. Therefore, the BJP will be wiped out in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," he said.

In an interview with ANI, Narayanasamy expressed confidence in the Congress candidate V Vaithilingam's victory in the April 19 polls in Puducherry.

He praised the incumbent MP Vaithilingam for his effective representation of Puducherry's issues in the Lok Sabha.

He also assured that if the INDIA bloc came into power they would work for women, who have the largest share in the electoral process in the Union Territory.

Citing the manifesto, he said, "Congress has promised to employ lakhs of people and 50 per cent among them will be women."

"Congress party will work on educating women, giving them more benefits and protecting them from atrocities," he said.