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Puducherry Cabinet infighting: focus shifts to Delhi

PUDUCHERRY: Just as the infighting in the Congress Ministry has intensified with all the five Ministers demanding the removal of N. Rangasamy as Chief Minister, the focus has shifted to New Delhi where discussions are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Though a decision on the Ministers’ demand may not be taken immediately, the Congress high command wants to listen to the views of both sides at a meeting to be attended, among others, by Central observers Vayalar Ravi, Arun Kumar and K.B. Krishnamurthy, according to party sources.

The Ministers have taken a firm stand that they will not take part in the Cabinet meetings convened by the Chief Minister till he fulfils the preconditions laid down by them, but Mr. Rangasamy has been maintaining a stoic silence.

Staying away from the August 6 Cabinet meeting, the Ministers—V. Vaithilingam, E. Valsaraj, M.O.H.F. Shahjahan, Malladi Krishna Rao and M. Kandasamy— submitted a letter to the Chief Minister, saying the government’s image had been lowered as several schemes announced in the Assembly had been stalled.

They had also insisted that the deferred subjects be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting and that the Chief Minister give a clear picture of the Union Territory’s financial status.

Mr. Rangasamy’s supporters were of the view that the Ministers, by keeping themselves away from the Cabinet meeting, had gone against the oath of office administered to them, as the Rules of the Business of the government indicates that it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to decide the venue and time of the meeting. It has also been laid down that except with the permission of the Chief Minister, “no case shall be placed on the agenda of the meeting unless papers relating thereto have been circulated…”

“It is unfortunate that the Ministers had boycotted the meeting though more than 30 deferred subjects were included in the agenda this time,” they said.

The Ministers shuttled between Puducherry and New Delhi several times in the past six months, giving an impression that a change of guard was imminent. Their frequent visits to New Delhi had evoked a lot of criticism from the opposition parties.

The Chief Minister had also called on the AICC observers when he was asked to do so. His latest visit to New Delhi was on August 8.

Sources close to the Ministers said the number game was in favour of them to justify the demand for removal of the Chief Minister, as six of the 10 elected Members of the Congress Legislature Party were with them.

However, Mr. Rangasamy’s supporters argued that there was no point making the demand, as the Congress itself had to rely on the alliance partners, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Communist Party of India, for remaining in office.

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