Pondicherry CM-Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi in open war

Puducherry: Raising the political temperature once again, the turf war between the elected government and Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi reached its peak on Monday with the two constitutional heads raising allegations and counter allegations against each other.

Though tensions have been mounting for some time now over the admission of students into Post Graduate medical courses under government quota through Centralized Admission Committee (Centac), the face-off has now led to open hostility in Puducherry.

While replying to the remarks of Chief Minister Naryanasamy that the Lt Governor should not act beyond her mandate, Ms Bedi asked whether the Chief Minister  wants her to be a mere rubber stand or a responsible administrator.
“What does the Honorable CM want? A Rubber Stamp or a Responsible Administrator?  This is the real Question”, said Ms Bedi in a WhatsApp message.
“He wants a Lt Governor who is just an onlooker and passes time and enjoys benefits of expensive establishment called Raj Nivas without meeting people or questioning officers and would do what he tells even in writing,” she said.

The Lt Governor and the government locked horns again in Puducherry over medical admission where the problems started with the surprise inspection of the Lt Governor to the counselling process by the Centralised Admission Committee here. Ms Bedi directed officials to ensure 50 per cent of seats available under government quota and to conduct a third round counselling which provoked the government. The Chief Minister then asked the Lt Governor to stop spreading ‘blatant lies’ and misleading facts against the government through her social media accounts.

Responding to the allegations of Ms Bedi with equal force, the Chief Minister said Ms Bedi did not have any right to interfere in the works of the Chief Minister and the ministers.

In a sharp attack, Narayanasamy asked Ms Bedi to stop criticizing the elected government with baseless allegations and warned severe consequences if she fail to do so.

The Chief Minister charged Lt Governor with continuously making false allegations against the ministers, legislators and officials without any proper evidence.

“All these are being done for advertisement purpose and not with any intention to safeguard the interest of the common man”, said the Chief Minister.
Raising a number of allegations against the Lt Governor including delay in approving files, blocking the funds from the Centre, the Chief Minister accused her of functioning in a dictatorial style.

“I have already complained the Prime Minister, home minister and the President on the way of functioning of the Lt Governor. I will meet them again on the same matter. Even most of the political parties in the Union Territory have the same complaint her” said the Chief Minister.