Puducherry CM's protest against LG: Minister terms Narayanasamy's dharna as political stunt

Union Minister of State and BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan Thursday made light of the dharna being staged by Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, saying such agitations were a common occurrence in the run-up to elections. Such agitations were a clear indication that the elections were round the corner, he told reporters here.

Narayanasamy and others are on the dharna in front of the Raj Nivas in Puducherry since Wednesday demanding that the Lt Governor accord sanction to 39 government proposals, including a free rice scheme, pending with her. To a question on DMK chief M K Stalin extending support to the dharna, Radhakrishnan likened it to seasonal Australian migratory birds flocking to India and returning later.

On BJP's alliance for Lok Sabha polls, he said negotiations were on with a few parties. "There will not be any problem in the alliance talks," he said without elaborating further.