PUDUCHERRY: Urging the AIADMK constituent of the NDA to reconsider the bandh called by them on December 28 demanding statehood, the Secular Democratic Progressive Alliance (SDPA) leaders said that Chief Minister N Rangasamy should lead a delegation of all political parties to Delhi and impress upon the Prime minister, Home Minister and leaders of parliamentary parties on the need for granting statehood to Puducherry.
At a meeting of the SDPA on Saturday, DMK Convenor and Leader of Opposition R Siva who led the meeting said that since all political parties, except the BJP, are on the same page regarding the requirement of statehood for Puducherry, the issue should be fought unitedly. Leaders of CPI, CPM, VCK, DK and other allies participated in the meeting.
The BJP in the NDA alliance does not support statehood. The Lt. Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has also said that Puducherry is seeing all development and welfare that would come if it were a state, and hence there is no need for statehood.
Chief Minister Rangasamy should clarify how the union government led by BJP will accept the request for statehood in this situation. Pointing out that the government elected by the people of Puducherry is unable to implement even small projects for the people, the CM should convene an all-party meeting in the interest of Puducherry and impress upon the central government after adopting a statehood resolution in the Legislative Assembly by convening a special session of the Assembly, said R Siva.
He said if the CM does not take a lead in securing statehood, then DMK will lead an all-party delegation and meet the Prime Minister, Home Minister as well as leaders of not only SDPA but also parties who join them in this effort. Prior to that, a convention on statehood will be organized on Jan 10, in which political leaders from Tamilnadu and Puducherry as well as Members of Parliament will take part, said Siva.