BJP leader inducted as nominated member of Pondy Assembly

Vice-president of thePuducherry unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) TVikraman was on Monday inducted as a nominated member of theterritorial Assembly.

Assembly Speaker V P Sivakolundhu administered the oathof office to Vikraman, an official source told PTI.

The Union Home Ministry had issued the notification onJanuary 29 appointing Vikraman as a nominated member of theHouse.

The appointment became necessary to fill the vacancycaused by the death of K G Shankar, also a nominated member,on January 17.

The option of nominated members is available under theprovisions of the government of Union Territories Act 1963.

With the induction, the strength of the nominatedmembers of the saffron party in the Assembly has beenrestored to three.

The two other nominated members are V Saminathan andSelvaganapathy.

The ruling Congress has 12 members, including theSpeaker, while the DMK, an alliance partner of the Congress,has three and there is one Independent member from the loneAssembly segment in Mahe.

There are three vacancies on the treasury sidefollowing the resignation of A Namassivayam and ETheeppainthan on January 25, who joined the BJP, and thedisqualification of a Congress member N Dhanavelou in Julylast for his alleged anti-government and anti-partyactivities.

Puducherry is set for Assembly polls in the next fewmonths.