Call for collective stand on boycotting Puducherry polls

PUDUCHERRY: After AINRC president N Rangasamy mooted the idea to boycott the elections until statehood status is conferred on Puducherry, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has said that all political parties in the UT should take a collective decision in this regard after getting approval from their party leadership.

The Chief Minister also informed that he could spell out the party’s stand in the issue after consulting the AICC high command about it when he visits Delhi on Wednesday. Detailing the efforts taken by the Congress government in this regard, Narayanasamy told the media, “The Congress does not have a second opinion about securing statehood for Puducherry.

DMK, AIADMK and CPI have expressed their views. But the decision to boycott elections should be a collective one taken by all the parties. A few parties boycotting it and a few others opposing it won’t work.” Questioning Rangasamy as to why he had not taken up the statehood issue with the Centre during his tenure as the Chief Minister of the NR Congress government, Narayanasamy asked if the former was prepared to hold talks with its ally BJP, which is now ruling in the Centre.

“In 2011, he took up the issue and won the elections. But, after that he neither pursued the cause nor took part in the recent resolution adopted by the Legislative Assembly seeking statehood for Puducherry. Now, he is again raking up the issue. And it only raises suspicion that he has an ulterior motive, since he raises the issue only during elections,” he charged.