President's Rule imminent in Puducherry? AIADMK says won't stake claim to form govt

New Delhi, Feb 23: Puducherry is headed for the President's Rule as the opposition AIADMK has decided not to stake claim to form the government after the Congress-DMK government led by V Narayanasamy fell on Monday.

"We don't have an intention to form the government now as only in 10 days election dates will be announced. We will face the elections and form a government democratically," said AIADMK leader A. Anbalagan in Puducherry.

The Congress-led government in Puducherry lost the confidence vote sought by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, in the face of its depleted strength of 11 against the opposition's 14 following resignation of ruling dispensation MLAs, including a DMK legislator.

After staging a walkout from the Assembly before the motion seeking confidence vote was put up for voting in the House, Narayanasamy proceeded to the Raj Nivas and submitted his resignation to Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

The chief minister said the ruling side walked out after the Speaker V Sivakolundhu did not accept its contention that only the elected members have voting rights during the confidence vote, apparently referring to the three nominated BJP members.

'Our view that only the elected members can vote in the House was not accepted by the Speaker. So we walked out of the assembly and met the Lt Governor and gave resignation letter of my cabinet,' he said.

Narayanasamy said he was accompanied by his ministers, Congress and DMK MLAs besides the independent legislator who had earlier supported the government.

It was up to the Lt Governor to decide on their resignation, he added.