Resign or prove majority, AIADMK tells Pondy CM

Puducherry, Jan 29 (PTI): The Opposition AIADMK here onFriday asked Congress senior leader and Chief Minister VNarayanasamy to prove his government's majority on the floorof the Territorial Assembly or quit the post of the ChiefMinister.

The AIADMK made this demand as the resignation of theruling Congress members had weakened the strength of theparty in the House.

The leader of the legislature wing of the AIADMK AAnbalagan said in a press release that A Namassivayam, whowas number-two in the Narayanasamy-headed government, hadresigned from the post of the PWD Minister and also the MLApost.

Another Congress legislator E Theeppainthan too quit theMLA post, reducing the strength of the Congress to aminority.

Therefore, Anbalagan said, the Chief Minister should comeforward and prove his government's majority.

He said the Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi should directconvening of a special session of the House to ascertain themajority of the government.

Anbalagan said the AIADMK and its alliance partners wouldsubmit a memorandum soon to the Lieutenant Governor seeking adirective for the session.

The current political developments have weakened thegovernment. Routine administration has also come to astandstill and the Chief Minister has failed to implement thepromises made in the Congress election manifesto, Anbalagansaid.

He cited the government`s failure to re-open theCooperative Sugar Mill to increase the monthly assistancepaid to the aged people and also to provide jobs for theyouth.

''These were among the monumental failures of the Congressgovernment,'' he said.

Narayanasamy should voluntarily resign from the post ofChief Minister or prove majority, he added.

Namassivayam and Theeppainthan who quit on January 25 havesince joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Namassivayan was elected from Villianoor constituencywhile Theeppainthan was elected from Oussudu (reserved)segment.

The former had alleged that the Chief Minister wasintervening in his department and also failed to have cordialrelations with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centralgovernment and the Puducherry Lieutanant Governor.

These charges were refuted and termed untrue and untenable,by the Chief Minister while speaking to reporters in Karaikalon Thursday.

The party-wise break-up in the territorial Assembly nowis: Congress (12 including Speaker), DMK (three), Independent(one), AIADMK (four) and AINRC (seven).

There are two nominated members belonging to the BJPfollowing the death of K G Shankar recently.