Oppn demands Narayanasamy to prove majority in Pondy assembly, petitions Lt Guv's office

A delegation of oppositionparties led by AINRC on Wednesday submitted a plea to anofficial in the Lt Governor's office, seeking a direction toPuducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to prove hisgovernment's majority on the floor of the Assembly.

A day after the Congress government lost its majoritywith the resignation of one more MLA, the delegation of all 14 legislators belonging to the opposition in the territorialassembly, led by N Rangasamy, presented a joint memorandum tothe officer on special duty, G Theva Needhi Das at Raj Nivas.

Seven legislators including Rangasamy belonging to AllIndia NR Congress, four from AIADMK and three nominated MLAsof the BJP, who have voting rights formed part of thedelegation.

Rangasamy, who is the Leader of Opposition, toldreporters that the memorandum has been submitted to theofficial and said they have sought a direction to Narayanasamyto prove his majority on the floor of the House.

Kiran Bedi was removed as the Lt Governor of Puducherrylast night and Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan,who has been assigned additional charge of the union territorywould assume office on Thursday, sources said.

Soundararajan tweeted saying she received the warrantof appointment to discharge functions of Lieutenant Governorof Puducherry.

The resignation by John Kumar on Tuesday, who becamethe fourth legislator to quit the assembly since last month,reduced the numbers of the Congress-DMK alliance to 14 in the33-member assembly and it now has an effective strength of 28.

The party position in the assembly as of Tuesday:Congress (10), DMK three, All-India NR Congress seven, AIADMKfour, BJP three and one independent who had supported thegovernment all along. Four Congress MLAs have resigned and onemember had been disqualified.

Outgoing Lt Governor Bedi earlier in the day said herwork was a sacred duty, fulfilling her constitutional andmoral responsibilities.