Puducherry floor test: Congress consulting legal experts about voting powers of nominated MLAs

PUDUCHERRY: Legal experts are being consulted to ascertain whether the three nominated MLAs of the BJP have the right to vote on no-confidence motion, said  Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy who has been asked by the Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to prove his government's majority on the floor of the house on February 22.

Narayanasamy, who is an advocate himself, said nominated MLAs does not have voting right on the no-confidence motion. Hence his government enjoys a majority with 14 elected members as compared to 11 opposition members ( NR Congress -7 and AIADMK -4), he said.

After getting the views of legal luminaries, he will hold a meeting with MLAs of his party and allies DMK and independent again on Feb 21 and take a decision.

He said BJP aims to topple elected governments in states by poaching MLAs of ruling parties as it has done in Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. In Puducherry, the same attempt is being made with just a few days to go before the announcement of the polls but Congress will resist it with all its might, he said.  

People are watching and will not accept this game by BJP, the Chief Minister said adding that BJP will face the consequences in the polls.