BJP functionaries in Karaikudi join Congress

Senior BJP functionaries and office-bearers from Karaikudi, Sakkottai and other surrounding towns joined the Indian National Congress in the presence of the party MP Karti Chidambaram and other MLAs on Monday.

Welcoming them, Mr. Karti said the BJP had been neglected in Tamil Nadu by the people, and the recent Assembly election results were proof of this. This was just a beginning and he expected more BJP cadre and functionaries to join the Congress. The MP said the Congress was the only political party at the national level, which could deliver efficient governance. The days of the present [NDA] government were numbered as the common man had been severely hit, he added.

Bad moves by the Union government had not only pushed the economy down, but wrong policies had resulted in a dip in revenue earnings to the exchqeuer. According to him, from the time the government introduced demonetisation, things started looking black, as this was a retrograde step. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcements remained only on paper as the benefits (packages to bail out entrepreneurs) seemed to have not reached needy people in the sector, he alleged.

Mr. Karti told journalists that there was nothing wrong in terming the Central government as ‘Union’ government. “When the Ministers were addressed as Union ministers, Union cabinet and so on, there was nothing offensive in addressing the Centre as the Union government,” he added.

Asked to comment on the reason for meeting Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, he said that they had made a representation to start a law college in Sivaganga and an agri-science college at Kanadukathan in the district. The CM had said he would examine the modalities in this regard.

On the rising petrol price, the Congress MP said that despite making appeals from every quarter, the BJP government appeared to remain firm on reducing it. Consumers were upset and agitated. Very soon, this would reflect in the polls, he added.