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Congressmen train guns on own government

By S.Nadarajan

Pondicherry Dec. 16. In Congress-ruled Pondicherry, Congressmen appear to be training their guns against their own Government rather than defending it against Opposition attacks.

The Assembly poll is due in 2006.

While most Congress legislators make it a point to laud the Rangasamy-led Government at government functions, there are enough disgruntled elements around to voice their criticism.

The Pradesh Congress Committee chief, V. Narayanaswamy more often than not comments and criticises the Government on a number of issues, including the quotasfor the Government and managements in privately-run medical colleges.He has registered his protest officially by writing to the Health Minister, E. Valsaraj.

But the Minister officially stated that there was no communication whatsoever from the party leader.

Not to be left behind is former Congress legislator and senior member of the party, V. Balaji.He too had comments to make on the functioning of the privately-administered medical colleges. He is reported to have lashed out at a private college, which had affiliated itself with a university outside the Union territory, bypassing the conditions of recognition laid down by the government.The most recent criticism of the "quality of governance," which has become the talk of the town was by former the Home Minister, P. Kannan. Mr. Kannan said the whole Cabinet should be "reconstituted" and that he had written to the high command to the effect. While one would not be surprised at the cavilling of the Opposition, it is the criticism from within the ruling Congress that is unparalleled and has stumped political observers here.

Law and order

Mr. Rangasamy however, appears to have kept away from controversy, at least in the open. There are no rebuttals from his side over the criticism heaped on the administration.

His critics within the party feel that there should be proper maintenance of law and order, provision of jobs to youth, proper sanction of contracts and "recognition" for the Ministers.

The general opinion in party circles is that a coordination committee could bridge the gap between the partymen and the Government.

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