The Congress party would sweep the local body elections to be held in two phases, on October 17 and 19 in the State, said the former Union Minister and Congress leader, E.V.K.S.Elangovan.
Addressing an election campaign on Wednesday, he said that as the Congress party decided to face the local body elections independently, all the candidates from Congress party, contesting in local body election, would bring victory to the party.
Congress was the only party in the country, which was striving hard to ensure communal harmony so that the people should decide to whom they have to cast their votes. If the Congress candidates were elected, they would ensure transparency in government departments in the district. People should not underestimate the results of the local body elections as it would change the fate of the State.
He also appealed to the people to vote in favour of the Congress for proper implementation of various schemes announced by the Central government to uplift the socio economic status of those living in rural and urban areas. The Congress candidates would give preference for repair and maintenance of damaged roads, street lights, implementation of various drinking water projects, Mr. Elangovan said.
Earlier speaking to presspersons he said that both the Central and the State governments should come forward to allay the fear of the people about the Kudankulam nuclear power project. But at the same time they should ensure the safety of the people living in and around the project. The Centre would definitely ensure safety measures before operating the plant. So there is no need for the people to panic.Regarding the factional feud in Congress party, he said it was there in all parties including DMK, AIADMK, MDMK and PMK. But as far as the Congress party was concerned, even if there was some misunderstanding among the leaders, during elections they united. Even when DMK was not an ally of Congress in the local body elections, most of the activists and party cadres of DMK were supporting the Congress.
In connection with the land grabbing cases against DMK leaders, he said that if they had indeed grabbed the lands of poor illegally then they should be punished without any bias.
Regarding the performance of AIADMK Government in the last four months, he said that initially the steps taken by the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, were welcome, except the decision not to implement ‘samacheer kalvi,' said Mr. Elangovan.
