Chennai, Apr 7:
As the clock winds down on election campaigning, political fervor reaches its peak across Assam, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Campaigning officially concludes this evening, marking the final opportunity for parties and leaders to sway voters before polling day.
In these regions, polling will be conducted in a single phase on Thursday, covering 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry.
Over the past weeks, parties have been engaged in extensive outreach, organizing rallies, public meetings, and door-to-door campaigns to connect with voters. The final hours saw intensified efforts, with leaders making concentrated appearances to consolidate support.
Puducherry witnessed particularly hectic campaign activity yesterday, with top leaders addressing large crowds and public gatherings.
Senior BJP leader Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin were prominent among those leading high-voltage campaigning across the Union Territory.
Each of them sought to highlight their party’s achievements, outline future plans, and appeal directly to voters to influence the final decision on polling day.
As campaigning concludes, the focus now shifts to voter turnout and the integrity of the polling process.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday assured voters that Puducherry would see further development if the NDA government, led by Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy, was re-elected for a second term in the April 9 Assembly polls.
Speaking at a rally in Thirukkanur, Mannadipet, he claimed the previous Congress government had stalled progress, while the NDA reduced unemployment from 47% to 4.3% and curbed corruption.
Shah highlighted NDA’s unity in contrast to the INDI Alliance, where Congress and DMK are reportedly competing in five constituencies. He also countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims on fuel price hikes, saying petrol and diesel prices remained stable in India despite global fluctuations.
Outlining future plans, Shah mentioned Puducherry’s growing industrial sector, citing a laptop manufacturing firm producing three lakh laptops annually for export. He promised that re-election of the NDA would bring an industrial corridor and position Puducherry as a hub for the blue economy.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister M K Stalin launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led NDA government in Puducherry, accusing it of failing the Union Territory despite earlier promises.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to make Puducherry the “best”, Stalin alleged that the situation had instead worsened under NDA rule. He claimed that the government had weakened Puducherry’s identity and reduced its governance standards.
In a strong remark, Stalin said the Chief Minister of Puducherry had become a “puppet”, suggesting that the administration was functioning under the control of the Centre rather than independently.
He further accused the NDA regime of effectively turning Puducherry into a “municipality run from Delhi”, highlighting concerns over excessive central interference in the Union Territory’s affairs.
Security arrangements, electoral vigilance, and measures to ensure free and fair voting have been heightened across all three regions. With the election machinery in full readiness, citizens are set to cast their votes, deciding the next government for Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.