Puducherry CM Narayanasamy slams LG Bedi; Asks Congress workers to prepare for stir

Attacking Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Thursday accused her of concentrating more on "creating obstacles" to the elected government that on development works. Addressing ruling Congress cadres at the PCC office, he said they should prepare for another round of protest against Bedi to bring to focus her attitude of "putting obstacles" in implementing the decisions of the elected government.

Narayanasamy-led Congress government has been at loggerheads with Bedi on various administrative issues since she assumed office in 2016. "We fought against her legally and scored a victory with the Madras High Court holding that the Lt Governor cannot interfere with the routine activities of the elected government," he said referring the April 30 order of the court.

On petitions by the Centre and Bedi challenging the order, the Supreme Court had on June 4 directed the Puducherry government not to implement till the next hearing any decision having financial implications in the June 7 Cabinet meeting.

Narayanasamy claimed the people have "shown their anger and discontent against the Lt Governor by backing" the Congress candidate V Vaithilingam who scored a "massive victory" in the election to the lone Lok Sabha seat Puducherry.

The Lt Governor had been camping in Delhi for more than ten days now in connection with the appeal in the Supreme Court. "Bedi, however, has failed to bring in more funds for Puducherry from the Centre to carry out developmental works", he claimed, charging her with concentrating more on obstructing schemes than developmental works.

Recalling how a week-long dharna was staged by him and his ministerial colleagues outside the Raj Nivas in February this year to bring to focus the 'negative' stand of Bedi, he said if she continued with her attitude there would be need for another agitation and the party workers should support it.