Failure to reach out to people failed Congress

PUDUCHERRY: A Congress meeting on performance in the recent Assembly elections has pointed a finger at the failure of the government and party to reach out to the people   At the meeting organised by the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) to analyse poll performance of party candidates, it was felt that the cadre was not motivated to work for the victory of party candidates. Neither the chief minister nor ministers and PPCC functioned in a coordinated manner to campaign in all the constituencies. Instead, ministers concentrated only on their own constituencies and left the candidates to fend for themselves. Also, national leaders campaigned in only one location, which was not enough. The women’s wing of the Congress was also not utilised. The meeting found that the government also failed to deliver the welfare schemes to the targeted people. A few participants alleged that the ministers were providing jobs for money, with some even inducting their own people.Modification of some popular schemes, including financial assistance scheme for students, turned the votes in Rangasamy’s favour. The meeting founf that the AIADMK wave hit the party in border areas. Members suggested strengthening of the party by motivating the cadre in order to face the next elections successfully.Former chief minister V Vaithilingam, former ministers E Valsaraj, Malladi Krishna Rao, A Namassivayam, K Lakshminarayanan and C Jayakumar and other candidates who lost the elections participated. Speaker of the territorial Assembly R Radhakrishnan and ‘AKD’ V Arumugham were absent. While the speaker opted out, Arumugham, who lost to Chief Minister Rangasamy, is on a visit to Paris.PPCC President A V Subramanian chaired the meeting, during which 15 candidates who contested the election gave their views. Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy and Rajya Sabha member P Kannan were present.