Terming the participation of Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan at the Southern Zonal Council meeting held in Kerala as an “abuse of power,” Puducherry unit of the Communist Party of India secretary A. M. Saleem on Tuesday contended this was against the democratic principles and was a denial of the rights of voters of the Union Territory.
The council was a forum for elected representatives to raise the issues confronting the people of various States and Union Territories, he argued.
The Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka attended the council meeting and raised the problems faced by their respective States. But Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy abstained from the council meeting.
“The Lt Governor is acting as a super Chief Minister. Mr. Rangasamy owes an explanation on the real reason behind his absence from the meeting,” he said.
Even though the Lt. Governor attended the council, she failed to raise the long-pending demand to write off the legacy loan and inclusion of the Union Territory under the ambit of Statehood.
“The Chief Minister has surrendered his rights to the BJP and that is the reason he is not raising the issue of Statehood with the Centre,” he charged.
