Cong to submit petition to Prez seeking probe into allegations of corruption against Pondy govt

Senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy on Thursday said a delegation of the Congress would soon submit a petition to President Droupadi Murmu seeking a probe into alleged corrupt practices of the Puducherry government and its failure to implement development projects.

Senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy on Thursday said a delegation of the Congress would soon submit a petition to President Droupadi Murmu seeking a probe into alleged corrupt practices of the Puducherry government and its 'failure' to implement development projects. Addressing reporters here, the former CM said, ''Corruption was rampant in all sectors here including in awarding licenses to private players to run bars and liquor shops, scams in awarding contracts to take up works in the Public Works Department and also in approving tenders under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.'' ''I am ready to face any suit against me for the allegations I am making,'' he said.

Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was playing 'second fiddle' even as there were several irregularities in the administration, he added. Charging the Lt Governor with 'interfering' with the powers and authority of the elected government in the union territory, Narayanasamy said the CM was remaining silent over the issue.

Referring to the smart city project, Narayanasamy said it was not implemented properly and in fact the funds provided by the Centre on its part remained unutilised and returned by the territorial government. ''During the previous Congress rule headed by me the central government finalized the smart city project for Puducherry,'' he recalled. ''But the works envisaged under the scheme were not implemented by the present AINRC-BJP coalition rule in Puducherry.'' The Congress would soon present a petition to the President seeking a probe into corrupt practices encouraged by the Rangasamy led coalition in Puducherry, he said adding that the congress would also hold agitations demanding for probe.