AIADMK demands President's rule in Pondy

Chennai, Mar 17 (UNI) AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today announced that the party would stage a demonstration in Puducherry on March 20, demanding imposition of President's rule as the ''administration has come to a standstill'' due to infighting.

Alleging that ministers locked horns with Chief Minister in a power struggle, Mrs Jayalalithaa, in a statement here, said the party would stage a demonstration in front of the Central Post Office, demanding President's rule in the Union Territory.

After the demonstration, to be led by party organising secretary P H Pandian and party Puducherry unit secretary A Anbazhagan, the party workers would present a memorandum to the Lt Governor, urging him to recommend the Centre to impose President's rule, she said.

It had become a daily affair for the ministers to revolt against the Chief Minister. Ministers are staging walkout from the Assembly and Cabinet meetings, besides levelling corruption charges against the Chief Minister, she said.

As they locked horns in the power struggle, the administration had come to a standstill, she said, adding ministers had staged a walkout recently when the Cabinet meeting was convened to fix the date for presentation of budget. The meeting had to be aborted without fixing the date, AIADMK general secretary alleged.

In the last Budget, allocations were made for implementing various projects, but till the end of this financial year, 65 per cent of the funds remained unutilised. Many top posts in government departments remained vacant, she added.

Besides failing to address the problems of the people, the ''minority'' Congress government could also not implement welfare programmes. It was time that the Centre dismiss the ''anti-people'' government and impose President's rule, Ms Jayalalithaa said.

UNI WS SJ KK GC1743