Cong. bid to accommodate AIADMK, TMC in Pondy Cabinet

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, OCT. 21. The Congress, which will head the new coalition Ministry in Pondicherry under the leadership of Mr. N.Rangasamy, is interested in accommodating the AIADMK and the TMC also, the PCC leader, Mr. V.Narayanasamy, said.

Addressing newsmen on Sunday, he said he had already held talks with the secretary of the Pondicherry State committee of the AIADMK, Mr. K.Natarajan and the president of the TMC here, Mr. V.Balaji. The AICC had initiated talks with the two parties in their headquarters in Chennai. With the PMC (having four members) and the two Independents already becoming our allies, talks on associating the AIADMK and the TMC had almost been finalised.

(According to sources, the Speaker, Mr. M.D.R.Ramachandran, today left for Chennai. The AIADMK has three members in the Assembly while TMC has two.)

Replying to a query, he said, formation of the new ministry was going on smoothly. Stating that the election of Mr. Rangasamy as the CLP leader was a smooth affair, he said there was no difference of opinion in this matter.

Mounting a scathing attack on the PMK founder, Dr. S Ramadoss, the PCC leader said Dr. Ramadoss had been taught an effective lesson by voters who brushed aside his party totally in all constituencies it contested in the Assembly poll here. Mr. Narayanasamy said it was surprising that Dr. Ramadoss, who had kept silent all these six months on the politics in the Union Territory, was now trying to hog the limelight.

Communication from the President in response to the messages sent in the wake of the Congress and its allies staking claim to form the Ministry was being awaited, he said. In the ministry headed by Mr. P.Shanmugham, the AIADMK was berthed in the Ministry and also given the post of Speaker. The TMC having two members was also accommodated.

The AIADMK had always been an ally of the Congress and it was after 24 years, since 1977, that the AIADMK could get a berth in the last Ministry.

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