Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy resigns after Congress-led govt loses majority

• The Chief Minister of Puducherry has tendered his resignation to Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan after losing the floor test in the Legislative Assembly today, February 22.
• He has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi of trying to topple the government.
• According to Narayanasamy, the central government was undermining the UT government and depriving it of the required funds.

As the union territory of Puducherry gears up for its assembly elections in May, the political crisis, after the ruling coalition’s two MLAs resigned on Sunday, has taken a massive turn. The confidence motion moved by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy in the Assembly was defeated today, February 22.

Following the confidence vote debacle, Narayanasamy tendered his resignation to Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. "Myself, ministers, Congress and DMK MLAs and independent legislators have tendered resignation and sought it be accepted," he told reporters.


The floor test came after the Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan asked Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to prove his government’s majority in the Vidhan Sabha. A test that the Congress-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) alliance failed.

While moving the motion, Narayanasamy pointed fingers at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi for trying to topple the government. “Former LG Kiran Bedi and the Central Government colluded with the opposition and tried to topple the government. It is clear that the people of Puducherry trust us. This is a government elected by the people,” he said.


According to Narayanasamy, the central government was undermining the UT government and depriving it of the required funds. "What is happening in Puducherry now is political prostitution. But the truth will prevail," he said in his speech ahead of the floor test accusing BJP of derailing India's democratic system.

Following his scathing speech and heated arguments over the voting rights of three nominated MLAs who support the BJP, the Chief Minister and ruling MLAs walked out of the house

The numbers were stacked against Congress-DMK
The Puducherry Assembly is made up of 33 seats. Of these, 30 are for elected MLAs and three are for MLAs nominated by the central government.

During the 2016 Assembly elections, the Congress was able to garner 15 of these seats putting them in the majority.

However, one of their MLAs was disqualified by the party last year under the anti-defection law. Another five have since resigned, including one who quit on Sunday, February 21.

This meant that the overall strength of the Legislative Assembly was now down to 26 and the Congress alliance was holding on to 12 of those seats — one short of the halfway mark. And, since one of the members is also the speaker, his vote doesn’t count unless there’s a tie, leaving the Congress’ strength effectively only at 11.

The opposition, on the other hand, has 14 seats in its kitty, including the three nominated members.

Party	MLAs in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly
Congress	9
DMK	2
Independent	1
NR Congress	7
AIADMK	4
Nominated MLAs	3

The opposition is reportedly in discussion with the alliance partners to decide whether it wants to stake a claim to form a new government in Puducherry.

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