Amit Shah addressing a public meeting in Puducherry’s Karaikal NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused Congress leader V Narayanasamy of turning Puducherry into an “ATM for the Gandhi family” during his tenure as chief minister of the poll-bound Union territory.The senior BJP leader also alleged that the Narayanasamy administration “sold” PG and diploma seats, including those for reserved category candidates, to “wealthy individuals.”Narayanasamy served as chief minister from June 2016 to February 2021. Amit Shah Confident BJP Will Form Government In Kerala In 2026, Vote Share Climbing “Narayanasamy’s government had turned Puducherry into an ATM for the Gandhi family. They openly auctioned PG and diploma seats and even sold the reserved seats for SC and ST to wealthy individuals for the sake of money. Transport mafias were given free rein to trouble the public,” Shah said at a public meeting in Puducherry’s Karaikal.The former BJP president added that Congress leader’s tenure as chief minister was marked by “corruption and chaos,” which the BJP — part of the All India NR Congress-led incumbent government — has worked to eliminate.He further asserted that the saffron party’s focus is now on transforming Puducherry into a developed Union territory over the next five years.“For five years, the Congress government created an environment of corruption and chaos here. In five years, we eliminated corruption and transformed chaos into order, and now it is time to transform Puducherry into a developed Puducherry in the next five years. Earlier, the decisions regarding Puducherry were taken by the Gandhi family in Delhi; now the decisions regarding Puducherry are being taken by Puducherry itself,” Shah told the gathering.Noting that the BJP-All India NR Congress alliance secured 44% of the vote in the 2021 Puducherry assembly elections, he set a target of 60% for the upcoming polls, expected in April.“PM Narendra Modi has worked to make India prosperous as well as secure. The people of Puducherry have expressed their trust in the NDA, BJP, and our leader N Rangaswamy and PM Modi. In the 2021 assembly elections, the people of Puducherry gave us 44% of the votes. This time, the alliance of BJP, AINRC and AIADMK is aiming to secure 60% of the votes,” he added.(With ANI inputs)About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIn Munich, Jaishankar Backs Multipolar Order, EU FTA And UNSC Reform, Calls For Agile Foreign Policy’Alliances Fluid, Might Rising’: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan Warns India Must Prepare To Act IndependentlyMetro Line-4 Viaduct Part Collapses In Mulund, One Killed, Three Injured“Congress Failed The Northeast” PM Modi Slams Congress Over Assam’s GrowthRahul Gandhi Flags Dhaka Zero Duty Edge In US Trade Deal; Piyush Goyal Mounts Strong RebuttalDeadly Joyride: Teen Driving SUV At 160 Kmph Triggers Chain Crash In Bengaluru, 6 Students DeadEU Holds Back Laughter As US Credits Itself On Stopping India Pakistan War, Questions UN On KashmirPM Modi Makes Historic Landing At Dibrugarh ELF, Rafale And Sukhoi Jets Mark India’s Strategic PushPM Modi Opens Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, Rs 3000 Crore Bridge Cuts Guwahati Travel Time To 7 Minutes’Global South To Decide Next World Order’: Stubb And Rubio Signal Shift, Echoe India’s World View123PhotostoriesMaha Shivratri 2026: 10 traditional foods that are offered to Lord Shiva and whyTop 5 Margot Robbie movies that are a must-watch on OTT5 invisible AI features in modern luxury cars that drivers rarely noticeAfter Shahid Kapoor led ‘O’Romeo,’ 6 Bollywood gangster films to stream on OTT that are inspired by the underworldMargot Robbie’s most iconic on-screen looks: Gothic lore, barbiecore and beyond5 famous global fabrics you didn’t know were originally IndianMaha Shivratri 2026: How to make Sabudana Tikki for evening snackingHistoric touchdown in Assam: PM Modi lands at Northeast’s first highway ELF; IAF stages aerial show — In picsTop 5 real estate hotspots in Navi Mumbai driving investment and residential demand in 2026From Kapil Sharma to Krushna Abhishek- Richest Indian comedians and their net worth123Hot PicksIT Stocks CrashGold Silver PricesBangladesh Election ResultsTelangana Municipal Elections ResultsIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingPatrick MahomesBad BunnyJosh MorrisseyJutta LeerdamAuston MatthewsKayla NicoleAnthony JoshuaChris PaulDarron LeeKyle Busch Net Worth
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused Congress leader V Narayanasamy of turning Puducherry into an “ATM for the Gandhi family” during his tenure as chief minister of the poll-bound Union territory.The senior BJP leader also alleged that the Narayanasamy administration “sold” PG and diploma seats, including those for reserved category candidates, to “wealthy individuals.”Narayanasamy served as chief minister from June 2016 to February 2021.
“Narayanasamy’s government had turned Puducherry into an ATM for the Gandhi family. They openly auctioned PG and diploma seats and even sold the reserved seats for SC and ST to wealthy individuals for the sake of money. Transport mafias were given free rein to trouble the public,” Shah said at a public meeting in Puducherry’s Karaikal.The former BJP president added that Congress leader’s tenure as chief minister was marked by “corruption and chaos,” which the BJP — part of the All India NR Congress-led incumbent government — has worked to eliminate.He further asserted that the saffron party’s focus is now on transforming Puducherry into a developed Union territory over the next five years.“For five years, the Congress government created an environment of corruption and chaos here. In five years, we eliminated corruption and transformed chaos into order, and now it is time to transform Puducherry into a developed Puducherry in the next five years. Earlier, the decisions regarding Puducherry were taken by the Gandhi family in Delhi; now the decisions regarding Puducherry are being taken by Puducherry itself,” Shah told the gathering.Noting that the BJP-All India NR Congress alliance secured 44% of the vote in the 2021 Puducherry assembly elections, he set a target of 60% for the upcoming polls, expected in April.“PM Narendra Modi has worked to make India prosperous as well as secure. The people of Puducherry have expressed their trust in the NDA, BJP, and our leader N Rangaswamy and PM Modi. In the 2021 assembly elections, the people of Puducherry gave us 44% of the votes. This time, the alliance of BJP, AINRC and AIADMK is aiming to secure 60% of the votes,” he added.(With ANI inputs)
