Tharoor asks Mayor to seek more time

Tharoor, in a statement, said raising constitutional issues at this late hour – the deadline expires on December 10 – was unwarranted. It also lacked credibility, he said, responding to the Mayor’s statement Monday that the Corporation faced confusion about the constitutional and administrative aspects of the proposal.

The Mayor had said she had sought the advice of the Union Urban Affairs Ministry.

”In fact, the Mayor should have taken the lead to first pass a resolution in the City Council outlining its willingness to enter into an agreement with Barcelona and then send out letters to central or state ministries for approvals and clearances; if needed.’’

In view of the above situation, the Mayor should immediately send a formal communication to the Mayor of Barcelona explaining the position and seeking an extension of time for sending a final approval to the proposal, he said.

As regards the apprehensions expressed about the constitutional validity of the proposal, Tharoor said it has to be remembered that Thiruvananthapuram as well as other cities in the country have entered into twinning agreements in the past.

OPPOSITION DEMAND: Corporation Opposition leader Johnson Joseph has urged Mayor K.Chandrika to inform Barcelona City Council before December 10 that the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was interested in the twin city programme.

He said in a statement that the Mayor had rejected the Opposition petition in the Council Monday purely on political grounds.