N Rangasamy to convene all party meet to press for statehood

PUDUCHERRY: A meeting of all party leaders and legislators would soon be convened to chart out a programme to press the Centre to accord separate statehood to Puducherry, Chief Minister N Rangasamy today said.


Making the announcement during Question Hour in the state Assembly, he said he planned to lead a delegation to Delhi to urge the Centre to concede to the demand of the state.

Ranagaswamy said he differed with the opposition Congress view that Special Category status would help the state and not a separate statehood and added that "this different and new stand of the Congress shows that the party is opposed to statehood plea".

Earlier tabling the question, opposition AIADMK legislator A Anbalagan demanded that the government step up efforts to seek statehood to Puducherry.

Rangasamy told Anbalagan that steps would be taken to establish a State Medical Council to monitor working of private medical colleges in the context of admission and collection of fees.