Pondy CM to stage dharna from Jan 8 for L-G’s recall

Commencing his campaign to mobilise public support for the indefinite dharna against the Lt Governor, along with the allies of Congress party at Kanagachettikkulam near here late on Sunday, Narayanasamy said he and other leaders were not bothered about their posts and positions and ready to face any consequences.

His Cabinet Colleagues, Legislators, leaders and cadres of all alliance parties would take part in the indefinite dharna along with him, he added.

The Chief Minister has been at loggerheads with Bedi on several issues and alleged that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre also wanted to dismantle the Congress-DMK government in the UT and merge Puducherry with adjoining Tamil Nadu. He also charged Lt Governor of blocking developmental schemes.

Reacting to the announcement, AIADMK (West) Secretary Om Sakthi Sekhar on Monday said that permission should be not be granted for the proposed indefinite dharna by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, leaders from Congress party and its allies in front of the Raj Nivas from January 8. In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Secretary Ashwini Kumar, Sekhar said at a time when COVID-19 is gradually coming down in Puducherry, the Chief Minister who is supposed to protect the people is becoming himself a reason for its spread. He also charged that the Chief Minister is trying to create a political situation in favour of him by deteriorating law and order situation here.

Recalling the law and order problem when Narayanasamy and allies of his Congress party resorted to an agitation in front of the Raj Nivas a few years back, the AIADMK leader said that the Chief Minister now announced the agitation to hide his ‘inefficiency’ in administration in the last four years. This needs to be condemned, he said.