No point in having Assembly if elected govt has no powers to implement decisions:Pondy CM

Reaffirming the demand forstatehood, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Tuesdaysaid there was no use in having a territorial Assembly if theelected government has no powers to implement its decisions topromote the welfare of people.

Addressing reporters here, the Chief Minister saidfor the last more than three decades Puducherry has beendemanding full statehood and resolutions were also adopted inthe House on several occasions to urge the Centre to concedethe plea for statehood.

He said the goal has not been reached and allegedthe present NDA government at the Centre was using the LtGovernor Kiran Bedi to impede the implementation of thedecisions of elected government here.

''....the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)-led NDAgovernment in collusion with the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi isstanding in the way of implementation of decisions of theelected government here.'' ''We are cutting a sorry figure before the people andthe Lt Governor is not accountable for the schemes not seeinglight of the day,'' the chief minister said.

He claimed the government has also been facinghurdles even in posting officers, filling vacancies and takingup infrastructural development programmes including roads.

''When an elected ministry has no powers in thepresent status of Puducherry being a Union Territory, there isno point in having an Assembly,'' he said.

He said the Centre should without delay sanction fullstatehood status to Puducherry.

Referring to the call given by leader of oppositionand former Chief Minister N Rangasamy (AINRC) that politicalparties could as well boycott the coming Assembly polls topersuade the Centre to sanction statehood, Narayanasamy saidall parties should have a joint meeting and take an unanimousdecision.

The parties should adopt an unanimous resolution toboycott the polls, Narayanasamy said.

''I will apprise the AICC at my meeting in Delhi withAICC leaders on Wednesday of the emerging feeling here thatpoll should be boycotted to reiterate the demand that theCentre grant without any further loss of time statehood forPuducherry,'' he said.

''My personal stand is that poll boycott is a goodidea but for the Congress to take a decision, itmust get thenod of the high command,'' the chief minister added.PTI COR BNADMINISTRATOR BNADMINISTRATOR