Union Cabinet approves President's Rule in Puducherry

File image: Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy (Image: Twitter/@VNarayanasami)

The Union Cabinet on February 24 approved the recommendation of President’s Rule in Puducherry.

The approval will now be sent to the President for the final nod after which the assembly of the Union Territory will stand dissolved, said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar.

This comes two days after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress-DMK coalition government in the Union Territory fell after losing the majority during the floor test in the assembly, less than three months before the scheduled assembly polls.

In Puducherry, the CM has resigned and nobody has claimed to form the govt & therefore the LG has recommended suspending the 14th Assembly. Now, our approval will be sent to the President. After his approval, the Assembly will stand dissolved: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar pic.twitter.com/xKtVimaeW4

— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2021

Under the President’s rule, the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) becomes the constitutional head of the Union Territory.

Puducherry L-G Tamilisai Soundararajan had recommended President’s Rule as the Opposition coalition led by the All India NR Congress refused to stake claim to form the government.

READ: Puducherry Politics | A clueless Congress loses its toehold in South India

Six MLAs from the ruling coalition, including cabinet ministers, had resigned from the House in the last one month. Three of them have already joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Another Congress MLA was disqualified for anti-party activities in July.

In the 33-member House of the Union Territory, 30 MLAs are elected and three are nominated members belonging to the BJP-ruled Centre. Also, seven seats in the assembly are vacant, which means the effective strength of the House was reduced to 26.

The Opposition led by All India NR Congress founder and former chief minister N Rangasamy had submitted a petition seeking a floor test to the L-G’s office on February 18. Soundararajan replaced Kiran Bedi as Puducherry L-G after the former IPS officer was removed from the post.