AIADMK attacks Narayanasamy for opposing statehood to Puducherry

Flaying Union Minister and Congress candidate from lone Lok Sabha constituency here V Narayanasamy for opposing statehood for the Union Territory, AIADMK today accused him of 'double speak' on the issue with an eye on garnering the votes of outlying regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.

Congress had adopted official resolutions on a majority of occasions when it was in power urging Centre to concede the plea for statehood. Narayanasamy's sudden shift by opposing statehood and supporting retention of Union Territory status was only an attempt to hoodwink people of Puducherry and other regions, AIADMK local unit Secretary A Anbalagan said.

Talking to reporters here, he brushed aside as false and unconvincing the contention of Narayanasamy that if Puducherry became a state there would be serious financial crisis as the Central grant would fall steeply.

"Did not the Congress know this when the party had adopted official resolutions while in power on majority of occasions in the past here', he asked.

He also rejected the stand of Narayanasamy that Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam would be taken out of the territorial limits of Puducherry and merged with neighbouring states.

Narayanasamy, who was favouring statehood with 'special category status all along, yesterday rooted for the status quo to be maintained, marking a sudden u-turn.