Amid political turmoil in Puducherry, two more MLAs—one each from the Congress and its partner DMK—have resigned a day before a test of strength after the ruling party no longer has a majority.
With the two resignations, the Congress government’s strength in the Puducherry legislative assembly has fallen to 12 out of a total 26.
while putting in his papers said that he is upset over not getting “recognition” in the party. He said that he would leave the party too. The DMK MLA who resigned on Sunday, Venkatesan, has not given a statement yet.
“It was my individual decision as the party has not given me my due recognition in the government that’s why I have taken this decision,” Lakshminarayanan told ANI. When asked about which party he will be joining post his exit from Congress, he said that the decision would be taken by the people of the constituency.
Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, who took charge after Kiran Bedi’s sudden removal on Tuesday, called the floor test on Monday citing the Opposition’s stand that the ruling party no longer has a majority.
If both the government and the Opposition fall short of numbers, Puducherry is likely headed for President’s rule just three months before elections.
Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy has accused the BJP of trying to topple his government. He alleged it has been the “practice and design” of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to disturb Congress governments in states like Goa, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and now in Puducherry. “We have decided we will disclose our strategy on the floor of the assembly,” the CM said Sunday.
On February 16, a Congress MLA from Kamaraj Nagar constituency, A John Kumar, on Tuesday resigned from his post, citing “dissatisfaction with the Congress government”.
Puducherry is going to Assembly polls later this year. The dates are yet to be announced.