more-in The latest spark in the ongoing confrontation between the Raj Nivas and the Congress government was the latter’s move to buy 51% shareholding of India Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ITDC) in the Puducherry Hotel Ashok in Kalapet. The government had, last week, initiated proceedings to buy 51% share from ITDC following Union Tourism Ministry’s decision to divest stakes in three properties - Hotel Pondicherry, Hotel Patliputra Ashok in Patna and Hotel Donyi Polo in Itanagar. After reports surfaced about the government decision to allow the Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation Limited to buy shareholding from ITDC, Ms. Bedi reacted strongly to the move calling up Secretaries of Industries and Tourism to submit report on the subject. Expressing “surprise” at the move, Ms. Bedi said such major projects with huge financial implications ought to have been first discussed with her before making it public. Ms. Bedi was of the view that the government should have kept her in the loop as she is the “administrator,” of the Union Territory. Ms. Bedi told The Hindu that taking a “unilateral” decision on a project with huge financial implication is a “complete breach of rules and laid out procedures.” The ruling Congress on the other hand considers Ms. Bedi’s open criticism on the decision as another instance of her day-to-day interference in the functioning of an elected government. Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister, K. Lakshminarayanan, said the government had only begun the process and it had to pass through several administrative levels, including cabinet approval. “Obviously the file will go to the Lt Governor. They government had done it with good intention to take back ownership of a government property. In case, the government does not buy the shares, ITDC may even sell it to a private player. Her (Ms. Bedi) intention is to block every decision taken by the government,” he said. The government was only acting on a directive by the Ministry of Tourism to take an early call on divestiture strategy, he said, adding that if the administration had not taken a decision to buy the shares it would have paved the way of the land going into the hands of a private player.

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