The All India NR Congress (AINRC), led by former Chief Minister of Puducherry N Rangasamy, on Thursday forged an alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), after a gap of over seven years. A pact was signed by Rangasamy along with Deputy Chief Minister and coordinator of the AIADMK O Panneerselvam and Chief Minister and co-coordinator of the ruling party Edappadi K Palaniswami at the AIADMK party headquarters in Chennai.
As per the deal, the lone Puducherry parliamentary constituency was assigned to the AINRC. According to reports, the Congress is considering fielding its leader V Vaithilingam, current speaker and a former chief minister, from the Puducherry Lok Sabha seat. Meanwhile, the AIADMK continuted hectic parleys with DMDK, but an agreement could not be reached. Sources said AIADMK had come forward to allocate four seats, but DMDK leaders were firm on their demand that they should be treated on par with PMK.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will inaugurate the Rs 2,000 special financial assistance scheme for people below poverty line on former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's birth annniversary on 24 February. It is learnt that the amount will be deposited in the bank accounts of the people. It is said the money will deposited in the account of all the beneficiaries by 28 February.
Palaniswami, making an announcement in the Assembly on recently, said taking into account that the poor in several districts were affected by cyclone Gaja, failure of rains and drought, the government has decided to give Rs 2,000 as special assistance to BPL families.
