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Puducherry govt crisis: 1 more Congress MLA resigns ahead of govt's floor test
K Lakshminarayanan, elected from the Raj Bhavan constituency, tendered his resignation to Assembly Speaker V P Sivakolundhu at the latter's residence, news agency PTI reported.
One more Congress MLA resigned on Sunday - a day before Puducherry government's floor test in the Assembly - serving another jolt to chief minister V Narayansamy.
K Lakshminarayanan, elected from the Raj Bhavan constituency, tendered his resignation to Assembly Speaker V P Sivakolundhu at the latter's residence, news agency PTI reported. This is the second resignation party has seen in one week.
Talking to news agency ANI, the former Congress MLA said, "I took this decision because the party didn't give me due recognition in the government and in the organisation."
Not ruling out his chances of joining other parties in the UT, Lakshminarayanan said, "I will be joining, as per decision of people of my constituency."
Lakshminarayanan said he has also resigned from the party membership. The MLA's resignation comes on a day when the ruling party members are slated to meet CM Narayansamy to discuss the future course of action, though similar discussions on February 18 yielded no results.
"This government led by Narayanasamy has lost the majority," Lakshminarayanan told reporters.
A slew of resignations has put the Congress government on thin ice in the Union territory as the party scrambles to hold onto power.
The party has witnessed resignations from four Congress MLAs, including ex-ministers A Namassivayam (now in BJP) and Malladi Krishna Rao had quit, while another party legislator was earlier disqualified.
The BJP, in coalition with other opposition parties, has shown signs of dominance in the UT to form the government as it has a comfortable majority mark with 14 MLAs.
The process to hold floor test in Puducherry was fast-tracked this week after former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, who was handed over the additional charge of Puducherry, directed Narayanasamy to prove the majority on February 22.
Shortly after the Congress MLAs resignation, Puducherry Assembly Speaker VP Sivakolundhu said, "I have received resignations from two MLAs. I have informed the Chief Minister and the Assembly secretary about it. I am examining their resignations."
