BJP says no intention to merge Puducherry with neighbouring states

: BJP on Friday said the Centre

has no intention to merge Puducherry with neighbouring states or dismantle the separate identity of the Union Territory.

Speaking to reporters here, the party's national general secretary C T Ravi said the plan to merge Puducherry with the neighbouring states was a rumour floated by the ruling Congress.

Ravi, who was here to address an executive committee of the local unit of the BJP, said there was also no truth in the comments made by the Congress that the office of Raj Nivas wasbeing used as an office of the BJP.

"We have our party office here, so where is the need to use the Raj Nivas as our party office," he said.

President of the Puducherry unit of the BJP, V Saminathan said Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has been making baseless allegations that the Centre is keen to merge Puducherry with neighbouring states.

Saminathan said the territorial administration had failed to contain the spread of pandemic in the Union Territory.

"Instead of concentrating on the work to keep pandemic at bay, the Chief Minister is making allegations against the Centre," he said.

Narayanasamy had said the Centre was causing hindrances to the implementation of schemes and was not responding to the fiscal requirements of Puducherry.

He had said during a stir by Congress that the Centre was hatching a conspiracy to merge the Union Territory with neighbouring states.