The Centre on Wednesday announced that it had approved the dissolution of the Puducherry Assembly, two days after the Congress-led Union Territory’s government fell. Announcing the Cabinet’s decision, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said that the decision would be formalised after President Ram Nath Kovind’s approval.
Following a string of resignations, months before the Puducherry Assembly election, the V Narayanasamy-led Congress administration lost its majority on February 22. After submitting his resignation to Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan, Narayanasamy said that the government elected by the people had been toppled and the Opposition will be taught a lesson in the upcoming election.
After the collapse of the Congress-led government, the BJP said it will not stake claim to form an administration, but asserted that the party win in the upcoming Assembly election.
“In Puducherry, the chief minister has resigned and nobody has claimed to form the government and therefore the Lieutenant Governor has recommended suspending the 14th Assembly,” Javadekar said, according to ANI. “Now, our approval will be sent to the President. After his approval, the Assembly will stand dissolved.”
Javadekar said the lieutenant governor recommended President’s Rule in Puducherry.
The Union minister said that the required steps for administrative work in the Union Territory will be taken soon. Javadekar also noted that the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct was expected soon after the dates to the poll-bound states are announced.
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Narayanasamy had accused former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi and the Centre of colluding with the Opposition to topple his government. He also claimed that Bedi did not let him do his work.
The Congress government in Puducherry was reduced to a minority, following the resignation of four of its MLAs. Congress legislator A John Kumar resigned on January 16, following Malladi Krishna Rao who quit the day before. Two others, A Namassivayam and E Theeppainjan, had resigned in January.
On February 21, two more MLAs – one from the Congress and the other from the DMK – tendered their resignations. K Lakshminarayanan, the Congress MLA, said he quit because he did not get his due recognition in the party.
After all these resignations, the number of MLAs supporting the Puducherry government in the Assembly was reduced to 12, including the Speaker. This included MLAs from the DMK and an independent candidate. The Opposition, on the other hand, had 14 MLAs. The effective strength of the House came down from 33 to 26. The simple majority mark was 14.
On February 18, Soundararajan had ordered the floor test for the Congress government. She was given the additional charge of Puducherry on Tuesday after the Centre removed Bedi from the lieutenant governor’s position.
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