Former chief minister V. Narayanasamy showing the AINRC manifesto promising statehood to the union territory | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Congress Party Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, despite being an ally of the ruling coalition at the Centre, is shedding crocodile tears over the statehood issue without taking concrete steps to protect the rights of the union territory.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, former chief minister V. Narayanasamy said the chief minister had extended unconditional support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance when Narendra Modi became the country’s prime minister for the first time in 2014.
Mr. Rangasamy was the Chief Minister of the Union Territory till 2016. He did not take advantage of his party’s extension of support to the Center to obtain statehood for two years. The senior Congress leader said that again, they have forged an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the 2021 assembly elections, knowing full well the stand of the central government against granting statehood to the union territory.
He met the Prime Minister and the Home Minister once after the coalition government was formed in the Union Territory. Apart from this, they have not taken any further steps to achieve statehood. He is now in tears about his inability to get the support of the authorities and the Center to implement the schemes only for public perception. If he is serious about this issue, then the Chief Minister should protest by coming out of the alliance. I am sure he will not do this because he does not have the guts to fight.
Recalling the Chief Minister’s silence during the Congress government’s struggle with the then Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi to protect the rights of the elected government, Mr. Narayanasamy said that the Chief Minister’s party did not even deputate an all-party representative. The meetings called by the Congress on the issue of a separate state.
“When we were in the government, we fought against the then Lieutenant Governor and the Center to protect the rights of the Union Territory. Mr. Rangasamy was enjoying the turf war. He also stayed away from the delegation that met the Prime Minister and Home Minister for statehood for Puducherry. His party did not even participate in a protest held in Delhi demanding a separate state, Mr. Narayanasamy said.
Asked whether the Congress would support the Chief Minister if he pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance, Mr. Narayanasamy said, “First let him pull out his party from the alliance and then we will decide. I am sure he will not do that.