Congress Blasts DMK for Failing as Principal Opposition in Puducherry

At a brisk press briefing in the PPCC office on Saturday, Lok Sabha MP and Puducherry Congress chief V. Vaithilingam let his frustration show. He told reporters the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is supposed to be the principal opposition in the Union Territory, has been all but invisible in the Assembly.

“It’s hard to tell who’s in the ruling camp and who’s in the opposition because the DMK just blends in with the government,” Vaithilingam said, his voice edging toward exasperation. “They have failed to fulfil the basic responsibility of checking the AINRC‑BJP government.”

The congressman then turned the spotlight onto two long‑standing grievances. First, he demanded a “white paper” on the pending local‑body elections. The Justice Sasidharan Commission, he noted, already recommended reservation for Other Backward Classes in municipal and commune‑panchayat polls, yet the state has not even appointed a State Election Commissioner.

“There is no legal hurdle,” Vaithilingam argued. “Why is the Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, still talking about statehood while the people wait for their local representatives?”

Second, Vaithilingam lambasted the ruling alliance for dragging its feet on setting up a Madras High Court bench in Puducherry. He pointed out that the Union Territory of Ladakh, with a fraction of Puducherry’s population, recently got a dedicated bench of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, yet Puducherry’s own plea remains unanswered.

“Our demand for a High Court bench is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for speedy justice,” he said, promising that the Congress would launch an agitation on both the delayed polls and the bench issue.

The remarks come at a time when the AINRC‑BJP coalition is facing growing criticism over its perceived inertia on local governance reforms. Whether the DMK will step up its opposition role remains to be seen, but Vaithilingam’s statements have certainly added fresh pressure on the ruling partners.