In a jolt to the Congress-led government in Puducherry, two more legislators resigned - one from Congress and another from its ally the DMK – a day before Monday’s crucial floor test virtually ending any chance of survival for V Narayanaswamy’s government.
With the latest resignations, the strength of the ruling alliance has dropped to 12 out of a total 26 sitting MLAs while the opposition has a majority with 14 members.
Congress MLA K Lakshminarayanan who reigned on Sunday said that he was disrespected in the party and the opposition including All Indian NR Congress was welcoming him. “The government is not failing because of my resignation. It has already lost its majority,” he told reporters.
DMK MK Venkatesh also submitted his resignation to the Speaker saying he was dissatisfied with the government.
The ruling alliance MLAs are scheduled to meet to decide on Monday’s course of action. “We have to take a decision on whether to attend the trust vote tomorrow or submit our resignation to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G),” said a Congress leader in Puducherry.
In the 33-member House, there are 30 elected members and three nominated members belonging to the BJP. The Congress presently has 9 MLAs. It includes assembly Speaker S P Sivakolundhi who isn’t allowed to vote unless there is a tie. The Congress has the support of two DMK MLAs and an independent MLA from Mahe. The opposition has seven MLAs from All Indian NR Congress led by former chief minister N Rangasamy, four of AIADMK and the three nominated members of the BJP who are allowed to vote.
{{/usCountry}}In the 33-member House, there are 30 elected members and three nominated members belonging to the BJP. The Congress presently has 9 MLAs. It includes assembly Speaker S P Sivakolundhi who isn’t allowed to vote unless there is a tie. The Congress has the support of two DMK MLAs and an independent MLA from Mahe. The opposition has seven MLAs from All Indian NR Congress led by former chief minister N Rangasamy, four of AIADMK and the three nominated members of the BJP who are allowed to vote.
{{/usCountry}}Newly appointed Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan has asked the Congress to prove its majority by 5 pm on Monday. The voting will take place by a show of hands. If all ruling and opposition MLAs are present in the House, the Congress government will lose as it will get only 12 votes.
“Elections are less than two months away so we will work towards the elections where people will give us the majority,” said a senior Congress leader not wishing to be named.
A senior BJP leader in Puducherry said on condition of anonymity that they may not stake claim to form the government. “In a week poll dates will be announced so what is the point of running a government for about 60 days?” the BJP leader said.
A spell of President’s rule seems imminent in the current scenario.
The Congress alleged that the BJP used money and threats to destabilize the government.
“The BJP has used muscle and money power and threatened the MLAs,” said Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president A V Subramanian.
Since January four other Congress MLAs including two ministers have quit. Two legislators - A Namassivayam and E Theepaindan resigned in January and joined the BJP. Another Congress MLA, N Dhanavelu, was disqualified in July last year for anti-party activities. Chief minister V Narayanasamy had earlier said that the party is yet to accept the resignation of health minister Malladi Krishna Rao.