Puducherry Congress government loses confidence vote; CM resigns

Puducherry: The Congress-led government in Puducherry on Monday lost the confidence vote sought by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, in the face of its depleted strength of 11 against the opposition’s 14 following resignation of ruling dispensation MLAs, including a DMK legislator.

Though Narayanasamy moved the motion seeking the confidence vote minutes after the Assembly met for a special one-day session, he and his ruling side MLAs later walked out before the motion was put for voting.

Subsequently, Speaker VP Sivakolundhu declared that the motion stood defeated, even as it was said Narayanasamy was headed to the Raj Nivas, possibly to meet Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Later Narayanasamy and his cabinet colleagues besides ruling side MLAs in the union territory resigned.

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.

narayanaswami