Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy, one of the most visible faces of the UPA government, particularly on issues related to the agitation against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, happens to be the only serving Minister from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry region who has jumped into the poll fray when other senior leaders preferred to campaign for the Congress party candidates.
While lambasting Chief Ministers of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu N. Rangasamy and Jayalalithaa, Mr. Narayansamy told
C. Jaisankar in Puducherry that the people would prove that the Congress cannot be isolated.
Excerpts from the interview:
In spite of sincere efforts, most of the parties in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have totally disowned the Congress in forging poll alliances. Do you think that these parties will regret their decision?
The Congress can’t be separated from people. It is not new for the Congress to contest alone. In 2001, the Congress contested alone in Puducherry when I was the president of Pradesh Congress Committee and it went on to form the government.
You are the only Congress Minister in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry area to enter the electoral fray in this election. Have you ever thought that your colleagues in Tamil Nadu should have contested?
I don’t want to comment on that. It is for them to judge and they are the best persons to answer this question.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has levelled serious allegations against you for ‘failing as an MP in spite of occupying an important position in the Central government’.
She is in the flying zone and she cannot know the people’s sufferings and issues of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. As the Chief Minister of an adjoining State, in what way has she helped Puducherry? Both the States have to work in tandem to realise the mutual benefits. But she did not allow the Puducherry economy to grow. She stopped sand, wood and construction materials from reaching Puducherrry from Tamil Nadu. She has no right to blame me.
The All India N.R. Congress and the AIADMK have accused you of failing to help Puducherry by rescuing it from severe fiscal crisis by way of waiving a Rs. 5500 crore loan?
Waiver of loan has been demanded by Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh Yadav. It is for the Finance Minister to decide on it. Mr. N.Rangasamy has never met the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister with valid reasons for waiver. Can anyone expect that a loan of about Rs. 5500 crore be waived just by a sending a memorandum?
What is your response to the criticism by Mr. Rangasamy that you have blocked Central funds to Puducherry?
He is making blatant allegations to divert people’s attention. I have documents to prove that I am responsible for bringing Central schemes to the tune of about Rs. 2000 crore, including five flyovers and rail overbridges, the Thirunallar temple development scheme, the National Institute of Technology at Karaikal and others. I have circulated my achievements to people in books. Can he come out with any achievement in his three years of rule?
There are reports that Congress MP P. Kannan has refused to meet you and he may extend support to the AINRC candidate.
I have tried in vain to contact him over phone, and have sent feelers as well. As a Congress MP, I hope, he will support the Congress candidate. There are still several days to go for voting. Anything may happen in politics.
