Former Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy has criticised Chief Minister N. Rangasamy for abstaining from the recent GST Council meeting held in New Delhi.

Addressing a press conference here, the Congress leader said the Chief Minister had avoided several important meetings convened by the Central government in the recent years. Now, the Chief Minister avoided attending the GST Council meeting held recently in New Delhi, he said.

Besides being the Chief Minister of the Union Territory, Mr. Rangasamy holds the important finance portfolio. By participating in the meeting, the Chief Minister could have apprised the Union Finance Ministry of the taxation requirements of the Union Territory, the Congress leader said.

“It is not proper to depute officials only for such important meetings. There is no valid reason for him to skip the meeting as the Chief Minister was attending routine matters here on the day when GST meeting was held in Delhi,” he said.

He also flayed the AINRC-BJP government for not holding election to the post of Speaker of the House. “It is not proper on the part of the government to continue with the Pro-tem Speaker arrangement. The Pro-tem Speaker has already chaired the Budget session of the Assembly and administered oath of office to the MLA who got elected in a bypoll. The government might have plans to continue with the arrangement during the entire tenure,” he added.