Puducherry PWD Minister A Namassivayam today said "there is no opposition from any quarters to the demand for statehood to the union territory."
The upgraded status would enable the territorial government to evolve and implement several schemes and programmes without delay, he told reporters here.
A delegation of legislators led by Chief Minister V Narayansamy cutting across party lines recently met the Vice-President, Union Ministers, leaders of different political parties and Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi recently to seek their support for the demand, he said.
"There is absolutely no opposition from any quarters to the demand for statehood," he said.
Namassivayam, who is the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president, said all the leaders whom the delegation met had promised to take up the issue in Parliament and ensure that the demand was met.
The Puducherry assembly has been adopting resolutions in almost every budget session urging the centre to grant statehood, he added.
Asked whether Health and Tourism Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, who represents Yanam constituency was not in favour of the demand for statehood, Namassivayam said it was not correct.
Puducherry which became free following a dejure treaty between France and India became an Union Territory in 1963 and has an elected Assembly constituted under the Representation of People Act.
Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, who assumed charge in 2016 has been at loggerheds with the Narayanasamy-led Congress government on various issues including nomination of three BJP members to the assembly.
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