Puducherry Assembly budget session to commence on Feb 2

Puducherry, Jan 12 (PTI) The Puducherry Assembly is likelyto have its budget session from February 2.

Official sources told PTI today that with assembly pollsdue in the next few months, the session would adopt a vote onaccount for the first few months of the new fiscal through aninterim budget.

A formal recommendation was made to the Lt Governor by acabinet meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Minister VVaithilingam yesterday that the session be summoned to meet onFebruary 2, the sources added.

As this is the first session of the New Year, the LtGovernor would present his customary address to mark thecommencement of the session, the sources said.

The Assembly has a total strength of 30 elected memberswith ruling Congress having 13 legislators on its side.the DMKsupporting the government from outside has a strength of sevenmembers. Three Independent members also support the governmentfrom outside.

On the opposition side the AIADMK has three legislatorswhile the PMK has two members and the MDMK and CPI one membereach. There are three nominated members also in the Assemblywith Congress, PMK and CPI having one each.

The session will meet in the wake of developments includingthe floating of N.R.Peravai by some ''dissident'' Congressworkers supporting former Chief Minister N Rangasamy. ThePeravai had at a meeting urged Rangasamy to convert thePeravai into a political party to take on the Congress in thecoming polls. However Rangasamy has been keeping silentwithout reacting to the developments.

The coming assembly polls will be the first afterdelimitation of constituencies.

After delimitation Puducherry will have 23 constituenciesagainst 21 it had all along. But Karaikal will have only fiveinstead of six constituencies. Mahe will also have only oneconstituency against two while Yanam will continue to be alone segment.