PM Modi neglecting southern states, alleges Narayanasamy

Talking to newspersons here, Narayanasamy said that Modi did nothing for the development of the southern region, including Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He added that the Telugu Desam Party had pulled out of NDA because Modi failed to give Special Category Status (SCS) to AP as promised in the election manifesto.

Referring to the demand for statehood for Puducherry that has been included in the Congress election manifesto, the Chief Minister noted how the Centre failed to respond to the demand despite the territorial assembly adopting several resolutions and an all-party delegation holding an agitation in Delhi.

As the Prime Minister failed to respond, Rahul Gandhi was apprised and the Congress Election Manifesto Committee agreed to include the demand in the manifesto, he said.

When asked why the previous Congress government at the Centre had failed in this regard, Narayanasamy said the party was then seeking Special Category State Status. The issue was taken up when he was a union minister in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. However, the Prime Minister had laid certain conditions which did not suit Puducherry. Hence, the Congress changed its demand from Special Category Sate Status to statehood in 2016, he added.

Narayanasamy also sought to allay the apprehension of revenue shortage, noting that the Central Grant would go up to 45 per cent from 26 per cent. In addition, it would also be included in the Central Finance Commission.

The opposition All India NR Congress, which was ousted from power by the Congress, would capture power in Puducherry in 2021 with the support of alliance partners, said its founder-president and leader of the opposition N Rangaswamy here on Tuesday. Undertaking electioneering for his party candidate Dr Narayanasamy at Nellithoppe assembly constituency, Rangaswamy said Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, with his vast political experience, could have contested the April 18 Lok Sabha election instead of fielding Assembly Speaker V Vaithilingam from here. Noting that the government medical college was starting during his tenure and claiming that employment opportunities were generated for the youth in the Union Territory during his tenure, Rangaswamy asked on whether the incumbent Chief Minister could list out the schemes he brought in for the development of the UT. In contrast, he added, industries were being closed down or shifted from Puducherry under Narayanasamy’s regime, he said. Rangaswamy wondered why the Chief Minister was adopting a confrontational attitude with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, adding that schemes could be implemented by maintaining a cordial relationship with the Lt Governor.