PUDUCHERRY: In a major setback to Congress, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy on Monday resigned after his government lost majority in the assembly, bringing the curtain down on the only government of the party in south India just a few weeks before the elections in the Union territory.
Narayanasamy moved a vote of confidence, but speaker V P Sivakozhundhu did not put the motion to vote, prompting the CM to exit with a war cry, accusing the BJP-led government at the Centre of “plotting” to topple his government “elected by the people” by using the lieutenant governor’s secretariat, opposition parties and nominated MLAs. Narayanasamy’s government had lost the majority as the strength of treasury benches was reduced to 12 following resignations by six MLAs — five from Congress and one from DMK — ahead of the trust vote. Puducherry assembly has a strength of 33, including three nominated MLAs.
With the help of three nominated members, the opposition strength, at 14, outnumbered the 12-member Congress legislature party. After resignations by six MLAs and disqualification of a legislator, the strength of the 33-member House had come down to 26, effectively reducing the halfway mark to 13.
The speaker proclaimed that the government had lost the majority and adjourned the House sine die. Subsequently, Narayanasamy led his cabinet colleagues and party MLAs to the Raj Bhavan and handed over his resignation to lieutenant governor Tamilisai Sounderarajan As the announcement of polls is barely a few days away, BJP has decided to seek a fresh mandate. “The Congress government in Puducherry collapsed due to its own problems. I am sure a new leadership will emerge after the state polls,” said BJP’s national spokesperson Rajeev Chandrashekhar, who is the election-in-charge for Puducherry.
PM Modi is slated to reach Puducherry on February 25 to launch BJP’s campaign for state polls.