Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president and Minister for Public Works A. Namassivayam on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to dislodge the Congress government by trying to enter into an alliance with the principal Opposition party All India N.R. Congress.
Mr. Namassivayam was addressing a batch of party workers, from three constituencies, who were observing a fast at New Bus Stand in protest against the actions of Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi in the last few days.
The Minister said the BJP had been rejected in all the constituencies in the last Assembly elections. BJP local unit president V. Saminathan, who is one of the three nominated MLAs, had lost his deposit when he contested from the Lawspet constituency in the last elections. The BJP had been trying to push its members through the back door to de-stabilise the Congress government by aligning with N.R. Congress, the Minister said.
The swearing-in of the three nominated members by the Lieutenant Governor had exposed her intentions. Ms. Bedi had maintained that she was here to serve the people but her actions spoke otherwise.
Antecedents not checked
Mr. Namassivayam said the Lieutenant Governor had not even checked the antecedents of the candidates as there were cases pending against two of the nominated members.
The Congress, which was voted to power in an election, would continue to serve the people till the end of the party government’s term, he said.
Social Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy said the BJP and the AINRC had been dreaming of coming to power through the back door.
“The AINRC should be more worried about its flock as its members may desert the party in due course. Three of its members are with us and then where is the question of that party coming to power,” he said.
The appointment of three members by the BJP had proved the Congress’s oft-repeated charge that the Lieutenant Governor was a hindrance to the working of the government, he said.
The BJP, he said, had been adopting various methods, including horse-trading and registering false cases against Opposition leaders, for political gain. “We are ready to face any challenge,” he said.
Others Ministers and MLAs levelled a series of charges against Ms. Bedi and wowed to continue the struggle till Ms. Bedi demits office.
