Former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, has challenged Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and ministers, to an open debate on the rule of the All India N R Congress-led National Democratic Alliance in the UT.
In a virtual statement released to the media on Thursday night, the senior Congress leader said the Chief Minister and BJP leaders in the UT faced the Assembly polls promising to get enhanced financial assistance. “The government was only able to get ₹ 24 crore more this financial year compared to the last budget presented by the Congress government. Rangasamy was not able to implement 90% of the schemes announced in the budget. Even schemes implemented such as including more beneficiaries under the old age pension and enhanced assistance for fishermen were planned during the Congress regime. I am ready for an open debate,” he said.
The government would need an additional ₹1,000 crore to fufill their poll promises of opening textile and sugar mills and to revive the cooperative sector.
Taking pot shots at Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, the former Chief Minister said the Lt Governor should “better be a full-time LG of the UT rather than holding additional charge as she has got tremendous responsibilities. She is also functioning as the Chief Minister of the UT so she has got additional work.” The Chief Minister also questioned the Lt Governor’s role in getting additional funds from the Centre.
The former Chief Minister also welcomed the stand taken by the Lt Governor to test all tourists for COVID-19 before entering the UT. “It is a welcome stand but the government should also ramp up testing of the general population,” he said.
