AIADMK accuses Puducherry Chief Minister of adopting 'vote bank' politics

PUDUCHERRY: The opposition AIADMK today charged Chief Minister N Rangasamy with adopting 'vote bank politics' in implementing welfare schemes.

Addressing reporters here, A Anbalagan, MLA, said Rangasamy was also eyeing the support of Congress legislator Malladi Krishna Rao as several schemes were gaining priority for enforcement in Yanam region, represented by Rao in the territorial assembly.

He said when farmers and hut dwellers were waiting for several months to get adequate relief for the damage caused by cyclone Thane in Puducherry, the Chief Minister had at one go sanctioned Rs 32 crore for fishermen in Yanam region who were hit by the Cyclone Helene last year.

Anbalagan said he was not against helping the suffering fishermen, but the speed at which the relief was rushed to Yanam gave room for misgiving that Rangasamy is eying support of Rao and voters in Yanam in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

He protested the levy of surcharge by the Electricity Department on power consumers, stating that collection of surcharge was only to procure funds to bridge its budget. 'Even to meet the wages of the power staff, such levies are being levied' Anbalagan said.

The Puducherry state secretary of AIADMK alleged that the administration has been a passive spectator to the child labour prevalent in Puducherry.