L-G Bedi cuts short Delhi trip; talks with Pondy CM fails

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi cut short her New Delhi trip and returned here, offering to hold talks on Sunday evening with the CM V Narayanwamy to end his 5day-old dharna, but the initiative failed to take off with the latter “imposing” pre conditions for the meeting.

After the parleys scheduled later in the evening were cancelled, Bedi accused the CM of “imposing” conditions on the venue and officials to be present only to “stretch the matter unduly” as it suits him politically.

Bedi, who left for Delhi on February 14, returned this afternoon and shot off a letter to Narayanasamy inviting him and his colleagues for a meeting in the evening at Raj Nivas. As soon as he received the letter, the CM sent his reply requesting Bedi to hold the meeting atthe Chief Secretariat.

In his letter, the CM had very specifically stated the Officer on Special Duty or Consultant of the office of Lt Governor should not be present at the meeting.

Bedi in turn sent a letter saying by “imposing these conditions” regarding venue of the meeting, the officers to be present at the discussion, he only wanted to “stretch the matter unduly” as it suits him politically. She also informed Narayanasamy she had cut short her public engagements and returned to Puducherry to hold meeting with him to “avoid inconvenience to people of Puducherry” due to his “politically motivated agitations”.