PUDUCHERRY: The political gang-up against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi appeared almost total on Tuesday, with an all-party meeting convened by the Congress here on Tuesday adopting a resolution asserting that the democratically elected government enjoys full powers Puducherry. The sole agenda of the meeting was to discuss the functioning of the Lt Governor, who according to the parties, was causing hindrance in the working of the government.
The meeting resolved that “as per the Constitution of India, not only the Central and State governments, but the governments of Union territories also enjoy full powers.” It was decided that a delegation of leaders from various political parties would go to New Delhi and meet the President, prime minister and Union home minister to complain about Bedi’s style of functioning.
The schedule for the Delhi trip would be decided within a week, said PCC president A Namassivayam, who presided over the meeting. Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues, legislators and leaders of about 21 political parties, including DMK, AIADMK, CPM and CPI attended the three-hour-long meeting. However, leaders of BJP and PMK abstained. T P R Selvam represented the main opposition party, the AINR Congress, at the meeting.
Selvam later told media persons that he wanted to protect the powers and privileges of the Legislative Assembly and its members. “The Lt Governor is functioning against the elected government,” he said adding that he had participated without the knowledge of the party president and former chief minister N Rangasamy, though there was no instruction to abstain.