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Pondicherry MLAs quit, demand statehood

All the nine Congress legislators in Pondicherry today submitted letters to Pradesh Congress president P Shanmugham, saying that they were resigning the membership of the state assembly.

The Congress move was in protest against the Centre's refusal to concede the Union Territory's long-pending demand for statehood.

When contacted, Shanmugham said he received the resignation letters.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary and former minister A Gandhiraj appealed to the legislators of other parties to follow suit to unitedly exert pressure on the Centre on the issue.

He said that, after the resignation of all the 33 members of the assembly, leaders of all political parties could decide on the future course.

Gandhiraj criticised the remarks of Education Minister S P Sivakumar, who yesterday described as 'drama' the Congress members's decision to submit their resignation letters.

UNI

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