Puducherry/New Delhi: The Congress government in the union territory of Puducherry lost majority as another ruling party MLA resigned on Tuesday.
John Kumar became the fourth legislator to quit assembly since last month, reducing the number of the Congress-DMK alliance to 14 in an assembly with an effective strength of 28.
Kumar’s resignation prompted calls by the opposition for the resignation of Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy.
The strength of the Congress has decreased to 10, including the Speaker. Its ally DMK has three members and an independent supports the government.
Majority mark
The simple majority with the reduced strength is 15 and the opposition also has 14 MLAs in the 33-member House.
The party position in the assembly as of Tuesday: Congress (10), DMK three, All-India NR Congress seven, AIADMK four, BJP three (all nominated and have voting rights) and one independent.
Four Congress MLAs have resigned while one member had been disqualified.
Kiran Bedi eased out
Meanwhile, Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, whose recall the ruling party had sought for long, was eased out of the post in a surprising late Tuesday night development.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan announced Bedi, who faced several protests by the ruling Congress against her style of functioning, will cease to hold the office of Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, just a week after Narayanasamy petitioned President Ram Nath Kovind, urging him to recall her.
Telangana governor gets additional charge
Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has been given additional charge of Puducherry until regular arrangements for the office of Lieutenant-Governor are made, Ajay Kumar Singh, press secretary to the President, said in a statement in New Delhi.
Narayanasamy hailed the replacement of Bedi, saying it “marks victory for the rights of the people”.
The students wing of the Congress burst crackers in the heart of the town, welcoming Bedi’s removal.
Former minister and new BJP entrant A. Namassivayam said they were glad a Tamil speaking Soundararajan has been given charge of Puducherry.
Principal opposition All-India NR Congress chief N. Rangasamy said Bedi adhered to provisions of statutes and no political reading into her replacement would be justified.
Rangasamy said he was glad a Tamil-speaking person has been assigned the post.
Bedi’s removal ‘a surprise’
The decision to remove Bedi, a former IPS officer, appears to have come as a surprise to many, including the Lt Governor herself.
Bedi had tweeted a video of her reviewing the covid-19 vaccination of front line workers in the union territory with officials over phone, giving directions for increasing the coverage.
Bedi, a former BJP member, and Narayanasamy have been at loggerheads since she was appointed Lt Governor in May 2016.
The ruling Congress accused her of going against the decisions of the elected government, a charge denied by her consistently.
Narayanasamy, who recently took part in a protest demanding her recall, had on February 10 submitted a detailed memorandum to the President.
Narayanasamy complained Bedi was ‘autocratic’ and had been interfering in the administration, besides ‘impeding’ the implementation of various proposals of his cabinet.
BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ reaches Puducherry
MLA Kumar, a Narayanasamy confidante who was elected from Kamaraj Nagar in a 2019 bypoll, reportedly said he has resigned from Congress too.
There are indications Kumar may join BJP, similar to what is happening in West Bengal with the Trinamool Congress, though not on a similar scale.
Last month, in a poll rally, BJP national chief J.P. Nadda slammed the Congress for alleged graft and vowed to capture power.
Leader of opposition in assembly N. Rangasamy, who floated AINRC after breaking away from Congress in 2011, demanded Narayanasamy’s resignation, saying it is in minority.
“The government has lost majority in the wake of resignations of legislators of ruling party. Chief Minister should quit office voluntarily owning moral responsibility,” he told reporters.
However, Narayanasamy rejected the demand, claiming his government continues to enjoy ‘majority’ in assembly, which is set to go to polls in a few months.
“All our legislators are united. The demand of opposition for government’s resignation is not genuine… We will function in consonance with the provisions of the Constitution,” he told media.
There was no response from DMK to the resignations, and it has stayed away from protests, including against Bedi.
Rahul Gandhi to visit Puducherry today
The development comes a day ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to launch the party’s campaign for the assembly polls, likely in April. The present assembly’s term ends on June 8.
The exodus of Congress MLAs started with the resignation of then minister A. Namassivayam and E. Theeppainjan last month with both joining BJP.
Malladi Krishna Rao, also a minister, quit the government and also as MLA on Monday.
The Speaker is said to have accepted the resignations of Kumar and Rao.
Another Congress MLA N. Dhanavelou was disqualified for alleged anti-party activities in July last year.
The Congress had won 15 assembly seats in the 2016 polls.