"Events that are unfolding in Puducherry are a dress rehearsal for what is about to happen in Tamil Nadu," said Thol Thirumavalavan, Member of Parliament and president of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), on Monday responding to reports about the Puducherry government being dissolved. Congress, VCK and the DMK leaders from Tamil Nadu accused the BJP of orchestrating the fall of the Congress-led government in the Union Territory through undemocratic means.
The reactions came after Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy resigned after his party lost the trust vote on the floor of the Puducherry Assembly on Monday.
Thirumavalavan said political parties must learn the lessons from what is happening in Puducherry at the moment, "We are able to perceive that the Santana forces will expand the actions in Puducherry to Tamil Nadu also and that the events that are unfolding in Puducherry are a dress rehearsal for what is about to happen in Tamil Nadu. This is a consequence of political parties giving seats to selfish opportunists who lack a commitment to ideology; in the future, they should adopt a more cautious approach."
Thirumavalavan was referring to the two Congress MLAs from Puducherry who had resigned from the Congress on Sunday.
VCK claimed that the BJP which is incapable of winning a single seat by winning the people's mandate in trying to gain a foothold in Puducherry by such backdoor entry. “The people of Puducherry will never accept such manoeuvring. We wish to warn these selfish people and anti-democratic forces that the people of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will teach them a lesson,” said Thirumavalavan.
Political parties must learn the lessons from the events unfolding in Puducherry. Sanatana forces will expand their actions in Puducherry to Tamil Nadu also, and what's happening in Puducherry is a dress rehearsal for Tamil Nadu.@CMPuducherry pic.twitter.com/XeLug3k7Co
— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) February 22, 2021
The President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), MK Stalin, accused the BJP of indulging in behind the scene deal-making. He tweeted, “Behind the scenes deals - the central BJP government, which aims to assassinate democracy, has staged it in Pondicherry too - this is an abuse of power!”
Stalin appreciated the courage of the now-resigned chief Minister, Narayanaswamy to protect democracy, “The DMK-Congress alliance will go to the electorate.” he tweeted.
திரைமறைவு பேரங்கள் - ஜனநாயகப் படுகொலையை இலட்சியமாகக் கொண்ட மத்திய பா.ஜ.க அரசு அதனைப் புதுச்சேரியிலும் அரங்கேற்றியிருக்கிறது - அதிகார துஷ்பிரயோகம் இது!
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 22, 2021
ஜனநாயகம் காப்பதில் முதலமைச்சர் @VNarayanasami-ன் துணிச்சலை வாழ்த்துகிறேன்.
திமுக - காங்கிரஸ் கூட்டணி மக்கள் மன்றம் செல்லும்! pic.twitter.com/cq8LIcoVpn
Dinesh Gundu Rao, the AICC in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Goa tweeted out saying the BJP has killed democracy again. "@BJP4India kills democracy again. Using ED, IT other agencies, spending crores of rupees they have toppled an elected govt. @INCIndia will go to the people, the people of #Puducherry will give a befitting reply in the elections."
.@BJP4India kills democracy again.
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) February 22, 2021
Using ED, IT & other agencies, spending crores of rupees they have toppled an elected govt.@INCIndia will go to the people, the people of #Puducherry will give a befitting reply in the elections.https://t.co/9qxKa27ie3
"With hardly ten days to go for the announcement fo election dates in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the BJP has played out the same conspiracy in Puducherry."
Thirumavalavan pointed out that although the Congress had secured a majority in the elections that took place in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Goa, Meghalaya, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, it was the BJP that formed the government in these states. The leader said the BJP did this by disrespecting the people’s verdict, involving in horse-trading and intimidation tactics.
The MP accused the BJP of pressuring Congress MLAs to resign from the party, leading to the fall of the Puducherry government.
“In the forthcoming legislative assembly elections, the people of Puducherry will teach a lesson to the BJP and to those who collaborated in the fall of the Congress Government by selfishly switching sides,” Thirumavalavan warned.