Puducherry floor test today: A timeline of the crisis

The ruling Congress-led coalition teeters on the edge in the poll-bound Union territory of Puducherry.

The Congress-led government in Puducherry will face a floor test on Monday as chief minister V Narayanasamy has been asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House. Holding on to the Union territory, which is scheduled to go to polls in April-May, looks increasingly challenging for the ruling Congress, which has similarly lost power in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, in recent years.

Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy (File Photo) (Agency File Phot)

Here’s a look at the sequence of events that has led to the ongoing political crisis in Puducherry:

January 25: Public works department minister A Namassivayam tenders his resignation from the legislative assembly within hours of being suspended from Congress for ‘anti-party’ activities. MLA E Theepaindan also resigns. Days later, they join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

February 15: Health minister Malladi Krishna Rao also resigns. Rao’s resignation brings down the Congress’ strength in the legislative assembly to 11. Another MLA, N Dhanavelu, was disqualified in July last year for allegedly working against the party.

Feb 16: A John Kumar becomes the fourth Congress MLA to resign since January. Later in the day, lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi, who tussled frequently with CM Narayanasamy during her tenure, is removed from her post. Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan is given an additional charge.

Feb 17: Opposition parties, led by Leader of Opposition N Rangasamy, submit a petition to the L-G’s office, seeking a floor test. They argue that the ruling coalition has slipped below the majority mark of 17 and that both sides now have equal strength, 14.

Feb 18: Soundararajan sworn-in as the new LG of Puducherry. Later in the day, her office orders a floor test in the assembly on Feb 22 by 5pm. A day later, the secretary of the legislative assembly confirms a special session for Monday.

Feb 21: Two more lawmakers, Congress’ K Lakshminarayanan and ally DMK’s Venkatesan, also resign. Narayanasamy meets MLAs for the second time, after having met them Thursday night.

Feb 22: Narayanasamy government to prove majority on the floor of the House. Ruling coalition’s numbers down to 12 ( Congress 9, DMK 2 and one independent), the effective strength of the assembly down to 26. Fourteen is now the new magic number.