Congress Leader Dolly Sharma Levels Serious Corruption Allegations in Puducherry
In a scathing critique ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, Congress leader Dolly Sharma on Thursday made explosive allegations of "widespread corruption" within the Puducherry administration. Sharma claimed that residents of the Union territory are being systematically forced to pay a hefty "30% commission" to government officials simply to get basic work accomplished.
Questioning the Delay in Granting Statehood
Sharma also directed pointed questions at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which holds power at the Centre and is part of the AINRC-led coalition government in Puducherry. She expressed bewilderment over the prolonged delay in granting full statehood to the territory.
"The manner in which a continuously corrupt government is operating in Puducherry is truly alarming," Sharma stated. "If you want to get any work done, you are required to pay a 30% commission. Five years have passed; the BJP holds power at the Centre and in the state, yet why has Puducherry not received statehood?"
Allegations of Failed Promises and Youth Unemployment
Expanding her criticism, the Congress leader raised significant concerns over rampant unemployment among the youth of Puducherry. She painted a grim picture of young people struggling to secure gainful employment while, paradoxically, liquor remains easily and constantly accessible across the territory.
"The youth here are unable to find jobs, yet liquor is constantly available," Sharma lamented. She further accused the ruling coalition of a massive failure in delivering on its electoral promises, stating, "People fully understand the difference between what was promised and what is actually being delivered. Of the hundred promises made in their manifesto, they failed to fulfil even 90."
Electoral Alliances and Upcoming Polls
The Congress party is contesting the crucial April 9 Puducherry assembly election in a strategic alliance with its long-standing ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Under the seat-sharing arrangement:
- The Indian National Congress will contest 16 seats.
- The DMK has been allotted the remaining 14 seats.
Puducherry, a former French colony, possesses a 33-member legislative assembly. Of these, 30 members are directly elected by the people, while the remaining three MLAs are nominated by the Central government.
Regional Political Context
This Congress-DMK alliance extends beyond Puducherry into neighboring Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, DMK supremo and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has allocated 28 of the state's 234 constituencies to the Congress party for the upcoming polls, along with a Rajya Sabha berth.
Tamil Nadu is scheduled to vote in a single phase on April 23. The counting of votes for both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, along with three other poll-bound states—Assam, Kerala, and West Bengal—will be conducted on May 4, setting the stage for significant political developments in the region.
