No disruption in Govt. work: Pondy CM

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, JAN. 22.The Chief Minister, Mr. R. V. Janakiraman, today claimed that there was no disruption in work although there were only three ministers in the Cabinet.

Addressing press persons here, he said there was no disruption of work and implementation of schemes was going on smoothly even though only three of the six Ministers were in the Cabinet.

Mr. Janakiraman said the Congress (I)-led opposition was trying to gain political mileage out of uniform sales tax issue. He reiterated that as long as his Ministry was holding the reins of administration, the new rate of taxation would not be implemented. The Central team that visited Pondicherry on January 19 and 20 had also made it clear that no State Government could be forced to enforce the new tax regime.

Stating that the opposition had no other issue on hand except the sales tax, he said they were trying to hoodwink the people claiming to be the champions of people's welfare. He said his Ministry had been successfully resisting the new taxation while adding there was no threat to his Government.

Asked if there was a plan to expand the cabinet to induct three more Ministers to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of Mr. R. Viswanathan (CPI), Mr. P. Kannan and Mr. C. Jayakumar (TMC), he said if any necessity arose for induction of new Ministers he would seek the counsel of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the TMC leader.

Mr. Janakiraman declined to convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss the sales tax issue and adopt a resolution against it.

Declining to comment further on the resignation of the Local Administration Minister, Mr. C. Jayakumar, he said he was still examining the issue. He further said the coalition Ministry in the Union Territory continued as the TMC continued its support to his government.

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Section  : Regional
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