Opposition in Puducherry demands floor test in legislative assembly

In what will come as a major setback for the Congress led government in Puducherry, leader of Opposition and NR Congress chief N Rangasamy has approached the Lieutenant Governor's office, asking for the Chief Minister to prove majority on the floor of the assembly. This move by the opposition comes a day after the Congress lost its fourth MLA in just two months to the BJP.

The Puducherry assembly currently has 28 MLAs, after the resignation of four Congress leaders, who can vote in a no confidence motion. Of this the ruling party's alliance has 10 Congress MLAs, 3 DMK MLAs and one independent MLA. This adds up to 14. The NDA alliance as the Puducherry BJP now calls it, has 7 NR Congress MLAs, 4 AIADMK MLAs and 3 nominated BJP MLAs and this too adds up to 14. However, given that the Speaker can't vote, the Congress alliance will be one vote short.

"The Congress has lost the right to continue as the government. With one independent MLA and a speaker who can't vote, they are a minority government," says BJP MLA Swaminathan. "It is only right for them to resign. They have lost their face in front of the public. Their MLAs have joined us because they know the future is here," he adds.

The ruling party which is currently hosting senior leader Rahul Gandhi in the Union territory, however is confident that they will come out victorious if a floor test is conducted.

"We have leaders in their camp, whose true support lies with us," says RKR Anantharaman, the government chief whip. "Even the MLAs they poached from the Congress were threatened till they agreed to join the BJP. The party used its control over the Income tax department and CBI to blackmail our leaders including MLA A John Kumar and MLA A Namassivayam," he adds.

With Rahul Gandhi currently holding meetings with Congress leaders and cadre at Puducherry, the Congress says its confident that they can face any challenges that the Opposition throws at them next.

Also read: Three reasons why Kiran Bedi was removed as Lt Guv of Puducherry