Pondy Oppn leader wants steering committee

Puducherry, July 3 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Puducherry Assembly A M H Nazeem today called for setting up of a steering committee among the coalition partners to discuss and find ways to tide over the present ''administrative crisis'' here.

Addressing a press conference here, he said there was no unity among the Cabinet Ministers, something unheard of in Puducherry.

He urged the Congress high command to find an amicable settlment to the problem and said that if necessary, his DMK was prepared to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the issue after obtaining permission from the DMK leadership. He also appealed to Chief Minister N Rangasamy and the Ministers to shed their differences and sort out things through discussions. They should concentrate on people welfare issues instead of shuttling between Puducherry and New Delhi, he added.

Mr Nazeem said Mr Rangasamy had given good governance in the past. However, he could not do so now because of the non-cooperation by the Ministers. He warned that the opposition from the DMK would be severe if the Government continued to fail in implementing people welfare schemes.

On the issue concerning the Chief Secretary, he said the Opposition parties and several organisations had fought against him for his alleged remarks against the Council of Ministers. However, a Minister made some remarks against the agitators as if to ridicule them and hence he was not fit to ramain in office, he added.

About the admission to engineering and medical colleges here, Mr Nazeem said the process had begun in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

However, it was yet to commence here due to the 'tussle' between the Chief Minister and Ministers, he said and added that if the Government failed to complete the admissions through the Centralised Admission Committee in a week, the DMK would organise agitations.

He urged the Chief Minister to expedite the assured meeting of Legislators to discuss on the quantum of fund to be allocated to the Karaikal region.

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