Congress in Puducherry proposes MP Vaithilingam’s name as candidate for upcoming Lok Sabha polls

Puducherry Congress proposes V. Vaithilingam as candidate for Parliamentary polls amid alliance tensions with BJP.

The Puducherry leadership of the Congress has proposed the name of sitting Member of Lok Sabha V. Vaithilingam as the party’s candidate for Parliamentary polls from the Puducherry seat, former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said on Monday, February 26, 2024.

“The seat-sharing talks within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, are ongoing in Tamil Nadu. After the process is completed in T.N., talks regarding Puducherry will be taken up. From our side we have proposed the name of Mr Vaithilingam because of his winnability, and as there are no complaints against him,” he said addressing a press conference.

Taking potshots at Chief Minister and founder of AINRC N. Rangasamy, the Congress leader said the Chief Minister has surrendered to his alliance partner, the BJP, to protect his position. The AINRC had already surrendered the nominated MLAs post and Rajya Sabha seat to the BJP, he said.

“Now, the Chief Minister has given the LS seat to BJP. The BJP is looking for people to contest it, as they don’t have a candidate. Even people from outside the U.T. are being considered. The people of Puducherry will not accept just anyone. An exception in the past was when Mohan Kumaramangalam from Tamil Nadu contested and won the seat,” the Congress leader said.

Asked whether people of U.T. would accept it if Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contested from the seat, the former Chief Minister said, “He is a national leader, and as a party worker how could I object?”

The Parliamentary polls, he said, would be an opportunity for people of UT to vent their anger against ruling AINRC-BJP combine as the alliance government has completely failed to fulfil the promises.

He also sought an explanation from the Chief Minister over the controversy regarding the construction of the new Assembly complex. The differences between Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Speaker R. Selvam over the new Assembly complex project have come out into the open, he said. Mr. Narayanasamy also took objection to the projected cost of the project, which is ₹620 crore. “Should a small territory be spending so much money for 30 legislators,” he asked.