The political landscape in Trichy is heating up as the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), led by the DMK and including the Congress, has decided to launch a widespread campaign against the central government's decision to rename the MGNREGA scheme. The alliance plans to take the issue directly to the rural population across all administrative blocks of Trichy district, framing it as a critical matter ahead of the assembly elections.
Alliance Unites, Protests Rescheduled
The decision was solidified during a crucial meeting held on Tuesday. The meeting saw the participation of key DMK functionaries and representatives from alliance partners. Sources indicate that communist parties and the VCK had initially planned a protest demonstration for Tuesday itself. However, with the DMK formally joining the movement, the protests have been rescheduled to Wednesday to ensure a larger, unified show of strength across the district.
District secretaries K Vairamani (Central) and N Thiyagarajan (North) issued a joint statement outlining the plan. They instructed all party functionaries, including former MLAs and MPs, to actively participate. The protests will specifically engage MGNREGA beneficiaries in all assembly segments, with a focus on agrarian constituencies like Lalgudi, Manachanallur, and Musiri.
Core Grievances: Funds and Working Days
The alliance's primary objection is not merely the renaming of the scheme to VB-G RAM G, but the substantive changes they believe accompany it. The leaders aim to inform the public about what they describe as a cut in fund allocation and a reduction in the number of working days under the modified scheme.
This concern echoes the statement made earlier by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who warned of an additional financial burden for the state due to altered central financial assistance under the new VB-G RAM G framework. CPI functionary K Suresh, who attended the SPA meeting, emphasized that these modifications would significantly affect beneficiaries in rural areas, who rely on the scheme for livelihood security.
From Protest to Poll Plank
The strategic move by the DMK and its allies is clearly aimed at converting this administrative controversy into a potent poll plank. By mobilizing protests at the grassroots level and directly explaining the perceived negative impact to the scheme's beneficiaries, the SPA hopes to consolidate rural voter sentiment against the central government's policies. The protests in Trichy are likely a precursor to a broader statewide campaign on this issue as election season approaches, setting the stage for a heated political debate centered on welfare and federal finances.
