2 cylinders, e-scooter for meritorious Class XII girls in BJP's Puducherry manifesto

CHENNAI: BJP on Sunday released its manifesto for the Puducherry assembly elections, offering free LPG cylinders, electric scooters for meritorius Class XII girls and targeted welfare measures for women and fishermen.

Puducherry BJP president V P Ramalingam said the party will provide one free LPG cylinder during Pongal and another during Vinayagar Chaturthi to every household to ensure festivals are not disrupted by fuel shortage. "To ease transportation difficulties for girl students and encourage them to pursue higher education, free electric scooters will be provided under the 'Anbu Thangai' scheme to those who score high marks in Class XII public examinations," Ramalingam added. Approximately 3,000 students could benefit annually under the free scooter scheme. Party sources said the scooters are likely to be low-speed models with 1.2-kWh batteries and a range of about 60km, which typically do not require a driving licence. It also proposed rail upgrades, including a Vande Metro service between Chennai and Puducherry, a Vande Bharat link to Mysuru, double broad-gauge lines in Puducherry and Karaikal, and renaming Puducherry railway station after Subramania Bharati.

BJP said public transport will be modernised with electric buses, upgraded depots, temple-area connectivity and additional Saturday services across the region. Ramalingam: Will provide 60% local reservation"We will ensure priority for Puducherry youth by working with the Union govt to provide 60% local reservation in Group C and Group D govt jobs and 20% reservation for Puducherry students in all Union territory central universities," said Ramalingam.Later in the evening, BJP's new national president Nitin Nabin campaigned for NDA candidates in Puducherry. "We assure that the double-engine govt, with Modi's guarantee, will fulfil all the poll announcements," he told reporters after a roadshow in Thirunallur.Hitting out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Nabin said the Congress leader has a pattern of disrespecting others. "Kharge has insulted Modi in the past,'' Nabin said. He said such statements reflect Congress's mindset and added that the party is facing an electoral decline.