Puducherry CM Narayanasamy and ruling Congress-DMK MLAs resign

PTI, Feb 22, 2021, 11:21 AM IST

Puducherry: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his cabinet colleagues besides ruling side MLAs in the union territory resigned on Monday after the government lost the confidence vote sought by him in the face of its depleted strength of 11 against opposition’s 14 in the House.

After staging a walkout from the Assembly before the motion seeking confidence vote was put up for voting in the House, Narayanasamy proceeded to the Raj Nivas and submitted his resignation to Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

“Myself, ministers, Congress and DMK MLAs and independent legislator have tendered resignation and sought it be accepted,” he told reporters but did not answer queries on the next course of action.

Earlier, the government was supported by the DMK MLAs and the independent legisalator.

(Earlier report) Puducherry: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday sought a confidence vote for his government, as the territorial Assembly met for a special session for a floor test of his five-year-old government that has been reduced to a minority following resignations by ruling dispensation members.

Moving the motion, the chief minister told the Assembly that his government had the majority.

Apparently referring to former Lt Governor Kiran Bedi constantly being at loggerheads with him on administrative matters, he said that he had however, delivered for the union territory, including effectively handling the Covid-19 pandemic.

He lashed out at Bedi, saying she had “conspired” against the government on matters including revenue generation.

“Those rejected by people conspired to topple our government but we stayed firm due to our resilience,” he said.