Posted on

PM Modi takes jibes at Congress government of V Narayanasamy; speaks about confidence on NDA in four states

Puducherry-assembly

After his visit to Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Modi arrived at Puducherry. At a public meeting in Puducherry, he stated, “I went to Assam and West Bengal a few times. I went to Kerala and Tamil Nadu today. Now I am in Puducherry. In all the four states and in the Union territory I see a huge wave in favour of the NDA.”

Also Read: On failing to prove majority, CM Narayanasamy submits resignation- heavily criticized the BJP & central government

Modi targeted & took jibes at V. Narayanasamy, saying that it is unique that a sitting CM has been denied ticket. It was the second visit of Modi to Puducherry in the last 30 days to campaign for the party and its allies for the assembly polls. Modi is the first Prime minister to visit Puducherry more than once. The Puducherry BJP unit released people’s charge-sheet against the previous Congress government listing out its shortcomings and failed promises.

Also Read: Political crisis in Puducherry: Congress government loses majority-Kiran Bedi removed as LG

Modi stated that the previous Congress government headed by V Narayanasamy in Puducherry was a disaster.  He also added that MLAs belonging to Congress party were openly talking about corruption, directly linked to the family of the former chief minister.

Posted on

Puducherry situation: On failing to prove majority, CM Narayanasamy submits resignation- heavily criticized the BJP & central government-VCK party termed the collapse a dress rehearsal for what is to happen in Tamil Nadu

Puducherry news

After chief minister V Narayanasamy submitted his and his cabinet colleagues’ resignation letters in the wake of the ruling Congress losing its majority in the assembly, the BJP Puducherry unit said on Monday that the party would not stake a claim to form a government in the Union territory at this stage(but after the elections).

Politicians have taken to Twitter to react to Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy’s resignation on Monday, February 22 over losing his party’s trust vote in the Puducherry Assembly. The Congress in Puducherry had been hit by a spate of resignations in the last one month. Accusing Kiran Bedi, who was removed as the union territory’s lieutenant governor last week, of colluding with the opposition and trying to topple the government, the Congress leader said, “Because of the support of my MLAs, we were able to complete almost five years of our government.”

On the other hand, in a statement, BJP-Puducherry president V Saminathan said that the NDA formed of the BJP, All India NR Congress & AIADMK would form the government with the blessings of the people after the upcoming elections.  Saminathan said that Puducherry needs a new era, new government, new culture of public service and a new vision and leadership.

Thol Thirumavalavan, MP and President of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi party called the collapse of the Puduchery government a “dress rehearsal for what is to happen in Tamil Nadu”.

VCK, in the press release further alleged that, “BJP, which is incapable of winning a single seat by winning the people’s mandate, is trying to gain a foothold in Puducherry by such backdoor entry. The people of Puducherry will never accept such manoeuvring. We wish to warn these selfish people and anti-democratic forces that the people of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will teach them a lesson.”

Also Read: Political crisis in Puducherry: Congress government loses majority-Kiran Bedi removed as LG

Narayanasamy on Monday charged central government with “murdering democracy” by removing a democratically-formed government at the fag-end of its tenure. He also accused the Union government of destabilizing and toppling an elected government through “engineering defections using investigative agencies” and by “inducements”.

Moving the Motion of Confidence in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister said that the Centre had been trying to destabilize his government for a long time like “they did” in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and Goa but the Congress-DMK combine was able to thwart the attempts as recently as last week.

Squarely blaming the BJP-led NDA government for toppling his government, he said “Just because they have power they think they can do anything in the country. Atrocities against Dalits and minorities continue in the country. Don’t the minorities have the right to live in the country? The Opposition parties here will be also judged by the people for supporting the Centre’s move.”

He also said, “What was the necessity to remove a democratically-elected government just around ten days before the announcement for the Assembly elections? The Centre uses Income Tax [Department], Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate to threaten Opposition leaders [in order] to form their government. In our camp, we had some timid legislators (referring to those resigned) the BJP was successful in weaning away. The people of the Union Territory are watching the developments.”

“We will face the electorate and explain to the people how best we served despite so much interference and obstruction,” he further added. Mr. Narayansamy reminded the Opposition about the Congress-DMK candidates’ victories in bypolls and Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Mr. Narayansamy castigated the centre stating that the PM often spoke about the need for cooperative federalism, but his government functioned contrary to the concept. No consultation was done with the elected government before appointing nominated legislators, the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, the Congress leader further said.

“The schemes and decisions proposed by the Cabinet were blocked or referred to the Centre by the former Lt Governor Kiran Bedi”, he said adding, “Using Ms Bedi, the Centre took away our powers and did not allow us to function.”

Posted on

Political crisis in Puducherry: Congress government loses majority-Kiran Bedi removed as LG

The Congress government in the Union Territory of Puducherry lost its majority in the legislative Assembly on Tuesday as MLA A John Kumar tendered his resignation to Speaker V P Sivakolunthu. Amid this political crisis in the Union territory, Kiran Bedi was removed as Puducherry-LG.

Months before an election, the Congress government has lost its thin majority in the UT with four MLAs resigning since last month, two in the past two days.

Of the 30 elected MLAs in the assembly, Congress had 15 members and, along with the DMK’s three and one independent member, was just past the majority mark of 16.

After the resignations, the government and the opposition both are at 14. The Congress has 10 members, leaving the V Narayanasamy government one short of the majority mark, which is now 15 with the assembly strength dropping to 28.

The Congress has traditionally enjoyed a strong grip on Puducherry but this time round, it has faced rumblings over Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, seen to have been para-dropped after the 2016 election. Leaders that have walked out of the party had been resentful of his style of functioning and his endless feud with Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi.

With the latest development, both the ruling Congress-DMK alliance and AIADMK-BJP alliance have 14 MLAs each in the 33-member House, the Assembly, which includes three nominated MLAs, currently has 28 active MLAs. The Congress has 10 MLAs besides three DMK MLAs and an Independent supporting the ruling coalition. The Opposition comprises three nominated MLAs of the BJP, seven MLAs of NR Congress, and four of AIADMK.

The Opposition has demanded a floor test in the House, charging that the Narayanasamy government is already in minority.

In the simmering crisis in the UT, Puducherry lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi was removed from her post on Tuesday night. This development came in the course of a political crisis prior to election in the Union territory after the resignation of several Congress leaders from the V Narayanasamy government. Since it comes just ahead of the assembly elections in April-May this year, it becomes problematic for the Indian National Congress in Puducherry. President Ram Nath Kovind said, according to a brief communique issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan late in the evening, that Bedi “shall cease to hold the office of the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry” and gave the additional charge of the Union territory to Telengana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

“The President has directed that Dr. Kiran Bedi shall cease to hold the office of the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry and has appointed Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana, to discharge the functions of the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry, in addition to her own duties, with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office, until regular arrangements for the office of Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry are made,” the communique from the President’s office said.

The President’s order came on a day of precipitating political crisis, when the government in the UT led by Congress’ Narayanasamy, who has been at loggerheads with Bedi over a range of issues, was reduced to a minority after the resignation of legislator A John Kumar. He is the fourth Congress legislator to have quit over the last month. Kumar’s resignation came a day after health minister Malladi Krishna Rao had also quit.