The fight between Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi and the Congress government led by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy reached a new flashpoint with the Legislative Assembly on Friday passing a resolution urging the Union Government to make necessary amendments in the Union Territories Act to bestow more powers on the elected government and curtail the role of the Lt. Governor.
The House converted a private resolution moved by AIADMK member A. Anbalagan into a government resolution after Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy made a formal request to Speaker V. Vaithilingam.
The resolution comes at a time when the Lt. Governor had made it amply clear that she was the “real administrator” and all files had to be sent to her for approval.
Earlier this month, the Congress, DMK, and AIADMK demanded that the Assembly pass a resolution requesting the Centre to recall Ms. Bedi.
In the past few months, the relationship between the titular head and ruling establishment has worsened. While the Lt. Governor has maintained that she was only trying to set right the “wrongs,” especially on matters of financial prudence, the government has accused her of blocking files, including schemes pertaining to welfare programmes, with the intent to tarnish the government’s image.
Hours after the Assembly passed a resolution, the Lt. Governor, who convened a press meet at the Raj Nivas to thank the judiciary for setting right the admission process for postgraduate medical seats in Deemed Universities, challenged the government to provide proof of her having blocked files.
