I will be CM if NR Congress alliance wins Puducherry polls: N Rangasamy

I was Chief Minister for 12 years, and I never fought with any L-G, he said

Former Chief Minister V Narayanasamy failed to govern Puducherry for five years and the people of the Union Territory will certainly vote for the Opposition alliance, All India NR Congress chief N Rangasamy said, speaking to DH's ETB Sivapriyan at his office in Puducherry on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UT on Tuesday.

Q: NR Congress is leading the Opposition alliance in Puducherry, and how is people's response to your campaign?

A: The response from people is overwhelming and it demonstrates the fact that Puducherry needs a strong government. People of this Union Territory want the NR Congress-BJP-AIADMK alliance to win in the April 6 election and form a government.

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Q: It is alleged that the Opposition parties destabilised the V Narayanasamy government at the fag end of its tenure with the help of nominated members of the Puducherry Assembly. Your views?

A: We had no role in the fall of the Congress government. The government plunged into minority after two ministers, and a few legislators resigned from the Congress. As a responsible opposition, we just pointed out this to the Lt. Governor, who asked the then Chief Minister (Narayanasamy) to prove his majority on the floor of the House. The government fell because it lost support from its own legislators. Why blame us for their internal problems?

Q: But the Congress says the government fell only due to support from nominated MLAs. Is it right to vote out a democratically elected government in the Assembly with the help of nominated legislators?

A: It has been clarified a number of times by authorities concerned that the nominated legislators have the right to vote.

Q: Former Chief Minister Narayanasamy has complained more than once that the L-G does not allow elected leaders to work. How confident are you on delivering promises made to people if the alliance is voted to power?

A: I was Chief Minister for 12 years, and I never fought with any L-G. Without fighting in the open, I was able to deliver good governance to people. The law says files have to go through the L-G, and is it not the duty of the Chief Minister to get them cleared? I did it through my tenure, but Narayanasamy says his moves were stonewalled. If he does not know to run a government, that is not our fault.

Q: The NR Congress alliance did not win the Lok Sabha elections and there is an opinion that the BJP is not acceptable to the people of Puducherry. Your views?

A: The dynamics in the Lok Sabha poll were different and now we are fighting the assembly polls. People want to vote for our alliance as they feel only we can deliver. BJP is ruling at the Centre and this will help in developing Puducherry further.

Q: Who will be the Chief Minister if the Opposition alliance wins? There seems to be some confusion with BJP maintaining that the CM will be elected after elections?

A: Is there a doubt? I do not think so. If our alliance wins, the Chief Minister will be from NR Congress, which is the largest party in the combine. Every other partner has agreed to it, and there is no confusion. As far as NR Congress is concerned, I am the Chief Ministerial candidate. And I will hold the top post if the alliance that my party leads is elected by the people.