The agitation by the Secular Democratic Progressive Alliance demanding recall of Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi wound up abruptly on Sunday.
The agitation launched on Friday by SDPA, which includes ruling Congress, was earlier planned to be held for four days. Secretary of the CPI and convenor for the alliance A. M Saleem told The Hindu that they would relaunch the agitation after Pongal festival. In the informal consultations held by leaders of various constituents, a consensus emerged to hold continuous protests including hunger strike, dharnas and a signature campaign, he said.
According to a Congress leader, there was a request from workers to wind up the agitation one day earlier in view of Pongal festival. Also, traders were facing inconvenience due to the traffic restrictions in the area around the venue of the stir and Central forces in the Boulevard, the leader said.
In a related development, Ms. Bedi wrote to Social Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy informing him that she had called for status report from Secretaries on the issues he had raised in a letter to her on January 9. Ms. Bedi informed the Minister that she would inform the date for discussion as soon as possible. Speaking on the last day of the agitation, Mr. Kandasamy said it should be a long-drawn-out battle against the Lt. Governor to protect the rights of the people of the Union Territory.
Ministers and elected representatives have to wait endlessly to have an audience with the Lt. Governor to discuss issues concerning people, he charged.
Government whip R. K. R Anantharaman said the agitation should be intensified until the Lt. Governor was either recalled or demits office. The main objective should be to obtain Statehood, he said.
CPI (M) Politburo member G. Ramakrishnan said Ms. Bedi had made her intentions clear when she administered the pledge to three BJP leaders appointed by the Centre as nominated legislators. The intention of the Centre was to disturb the ruling government, he charged.
