NR Mum On Meet With Jayalalithaa

PUDUCHERRY: The All India N R Congress president and Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy maintained that he would meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi soon to seek her blessings.Addressing a press conference along with his cabinet colleagues and party functionaries here last night, Rangasamy, however, did not clarify on a future tie-up with the Congress.  “It is a courtesy call,” he maintained. When asked about the reasons for meeting the leader of the opposition party, he quipped, “Is it wrong to meet a prominent leader?” He preferred to remain mum when mediapersons asked whether he would meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa.Rangasamy also did not clarify on the reasons for the delay in the allocation of portfolios to ministers, nor gave any indication as to when the portfolios would be allotted. To the questions posed to him, he said that the one vacant post of a minister would be shortly filled up, with a nominated MLA being appointed after getting clearance from the Centre.  EC Recognition for  AINRC He said that the N R Congress floated two months before the Assembly elections won 15 of the 17 seats it contested, securing 31 per cent votes to form the government in the Union Territory.  On account of this, the party was recognised by the Election Commission of India as a registered political party and allotted a ‘jug’ as the party’s symbol..Govt to focus on  industrial development  The government would focus on industrial development so as to boost the economy of the Union Territory, said Rangasamy. A proactive industrial policy would be adopted along with the development of infrastructure to attract industries, he said.  The Chief Minister parried a question with regard to the financial crisis and said that steps were being taken to implement schemes properly with the funds available. Further, steps would be taken to secure more funds from the Centre.  He would soon meet union ministers in this regard and submit a written memorandum, he added.NR asserted that his government would take steps to fulfil the election promises speedily and also the welfare schemes covering all sections of people. The funds under the Special Component Plan for the scheduled caste would be utilised for their welfare.  He assured that seats in self-financing medical colleges under government quota would be secured before the counselling and added that the regional reservation policy would be followed the same way as in the previous year.