Vijay slams Puducherry alliances as 'tired' and 'confused' ahead of polls

TVK chief Vijay slammed the AINRC-BJP and DMK-Congress alliances in Puducherry as 'tired' and 'confused' respectively. Contesting for the first time, he promised to push for full statehood if TVK is brought to power in the union territory.

Ahead of the Assembly election in Puducherry, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on Saturday launched a sharp offensive against the established political fronts in the union territory, calling the AINRC-BJP combine "tired" and DMK-Congress "confused". Addressing a massive election rally, the actor-turned-politician highlighted that TVK is contesting in Puducherry for the first time and promised to push for full statehood if brought to power. Vijay questioned why the national parties, despite their power at the Centre, have not granted full statehood to Puducherry yet.

Vijay Attacks 'Tired' and 'Confused' Alliances

"There are 2 alliances in Puducherry... In Tamil Nadu, DMK-Congress is a confused alliance. Similarly, here too it continues to be a confused alliance. Similarly, there is an NR Congress-BJP alliance. It is not a united alliance. It is a tired alliance. Why hasn't this alliance granted statehood to Puducherry? If we come to power, we will do our best to secure statehood," said Vijay.

'A Waste of Vote': TVK Pitched as Alternative

Taking another dig at the alliances, Vijay asserted that voting for either of the two is "a waste" and emphasised that Puducherry needs good governance. "TVK will rule Tamil Nadu. There should be a TVK rule in Puducherry too," he added.

Puducherry Election Landscape

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is contesting independently in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly general elections scheduled for April 9, with counting of votes on May 4. TVK aims to challenge the incumbent All India NR Congress (AINRC), which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15.

Previous Election Results

In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, AINRC emerged as the largest party with 10 seats, followed by DMK with six seats, while BJP and Congress each won six seats. The voter turnout was recorded at 84.8 per cent. While in the 2016 elections, Congress had secured a majority with 15 seats, AINRC won eight seats, AIADMK bagged four seats, and DMK got two seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent.

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