Three nominated MLAs take BJP’s tally in Puducherry to 9

PUDUCHERRY: The BJP has inflated its strength to nine in the Legislative Assembly, with the appointment of three nominated MLAs by the Central  government, on Monday.The BJP government appointed three party members as nominated MLAs of Puducherry Legislative Assembly, inflating the party’s strength to nine in the Legislative Assembly, comprising of 33 members .

K Venkatesan , the former DMK MLA who resigned as MLA and joined BJP, V P Ramalingam, the brother of former Speaker V P Sivakozhunthu, who joined the party just before the polls and R B Ashok Babu, an advocate and town unit president of the party have been appointed as nominated  MLAs, according to an order issued by Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday.

Though it is an alliance government of AINRC and BJP, yet BJP has not shared any of the nominated MLA seats with its ally.With this, along with the support of one independent MLA, the BJP has a total strength of 10 in the Legislative Assembly. This would make strength of BJP equal to that of its ally AINRC. 

The nominated MLAs will take oath of office along with the elected MLAs at a date to be decided after the Speaker assumes office.With both the NDA the AINRC having the support of  10 MLAs, the combined strength of the NDA will be 20 in the 33-member Assembly.The decision of the five more independent MLA elected to the Assembly will be crucial as there are chances of BJP further inflating its strength by getting the independent legislators into its fold.