Simmering differences between Congress-DMK in Puducherry come to fore

PUDUCHERRY: The simmering differences between the ruling Congress and its ally DMK in Puducherry has come to the fore with the DMK skipping an all party meeting convened by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and attended by even opposition parties the BJP, AIADMK and AINRC members along with other parties on Monday evening.

The meeting was convened to discuss the  delay over implementation of 10 per cent reservation for government school students in admission  to medical courses, after Lt Governor Kiran Bedi had referred the proposal of the territorial government for the quota this year to Union Home ministry without granting approval.

When the Chief Minister who chaired the meeting was asked about  the absence of any of the representatives of the DMK, which is supporting the government from outside, the Chief Minister told reporters that he had sent letters requesting the DMK convenor R Siva and former Education minister SP Sivakumar to attend the meeting.

"I have also spoken over the phone inviting them to the meeting. But, there was no response. They might have personal reasons for their absence," Narayanasamy said.

The DMK has three legislators, two from Puducherry and one woman legislator from Karaikal, and has been supporting the Congress government from outside. The ruling party has 15 members and supported by three DMK members and one independent member from Mahe.

A senior DMK member said that the party has been sore with the Congress government for sometime, as they are not given 'due respect as an ally' by the Congress. "Neither are our views respected nor taken action on it or issues discussed with us. We are just treated like  another political party," he said.

"When 7.5 percent reservation was proposed by our party leader MK Stalin in Tamil Nadu, finding the situation similar in Puducherry, we represented the Chief minister for implementing it in Puducherry. But there was no action on it nor a discussion with us as an alliance party. We had even suggested convening all party meetings and eliciting views and following it up with an Assembly session and adopting a resolution in this regard. But nothing was done," he said.

"Now after a long delay and finding that it was successfully implemented in Tamilnadu , then the Congress government woke up and sent a proposal to the government, but it was referred to the Union Home minister by the Lt Governor without granting approval," he added.

"The Chief minister without being adamant could have met the Lt Governor and discussed the proposal which could have helped in approval on. Now when time is running out, the Chief minister is convening an all party meeting and inviting DMK like any other party. Why should we attend?" he asked.

The change in attitude of the DMK became visible after the three DMK convenors called on party President MK Stalin at Chennai and then followed it up with a representation to Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on several issues by calling on her at Raj Nivas.

They also claimed success as the Lt Governor had given approval for grant in aid for payment of salaries to aided school teachers and waiver of road tax for commercial vehicles, which was represented by them to her.

He said that despite the differences, the support to the Congress government will continue as promised for five years.

He said that, however, the party will not cling on to Congress and will tread a path most suitable for the party in the next elections. He said that the party here has also put forth a plea of delinking the alliance of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to the party leadership.

The Congress is not unaware of the growing dissatisfaction among the DMK and have been trying to woo the party.

The Chief Minister in his budget speech has announced a breakfast scheme for school students after former DMK chief and Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi, overshadowed the existing Rajiv Gandhi Breakfast scheme for school students.

He is also actively pursuing the erection of a statue for M Karunanidhi and has selected a coveted site just in front of the Legislative Assembly. While Stalin has appreciated these through Twitter posts, whether it will translate into keeping the parties together or whether they will tread different paths will unfold in the coming months.