Rahul Gandhi promises full statehood, ₹4,000 unemployment allowance and ₹20 lakh insurance cover for every family in Puducherry

Launching a broadside against the AINRC led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy and its ally, the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday described the coalition government in Puducherry as one imposed by Delhi and pledged to grant full statehood to the Union Territory so that the people have a government of their own.

Releasing the party manifesto at an election rally in poll-bound Puducherry, he said, “We are fully committed to full statehood. The government here is imposed by Delhi and does not reflect the voice of the people. We do not want Puducherry to be ruled by a Lieutenant Governor; we want it to be governed by the people.”

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Referring to civic polls not being held, he said the party would conduct them within six months so that next-generation leaders could emerge. In his view, local body elections are not held with the intent of sidelining regional and grassroots leadership.

Describing the industrial scenario as bleak, he said hundreds of factories are being shut down and blamed the BJP for favouring only the Adani conglomerate. “The BJP wants Puducherry to belong to Adani. The strategic Karaikal port has already been sold to him. Puducherry’s electricity will be handed over to Adani,” he alleged. Referring to fake medicines flooding the market in Puducherry, he said, “It is not only corruption but amounts to murder.”

Targeting the AINRC-BJP coalition government as steeped in corruption and incompetent in maintaining law and order, Rahul said, “Everybody knows there is a 30 percent commission—commission in everything, from roads to schools and liquor shop licensing. They even steal from the gods by encroaching upon temple lands. Law and order has deteriorated so much that people are afraid to walk at night; women and children feel unsafe. They know about this but do nothing.”

Besides full statehood and conducting local body elections within six months of coming to power, the manifesto promised ₹4,000 per month to unemployed youth, free travel for women in government buses, insurance cover of ₹20 lakh for every family, and 30,000 jobs, among other measures.

Though the Congress is the dominant partner in the INDIA bloc, Rahul has avoided a joint campaign with DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. It is also unclear whether he will campaign with Stalin in Tamil Nadu. So far, it has been a solo campaign for the April 9 election to the 30-member Territorial Assembly, in which the Congress, as the dominant partner, is contesting 16 seats.