TMC's body blow to Pondicherry Govt

TMC's body blow to Pondicherry Govt
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Pondicherry, Dec 31: In a move which might prove fatal for the DMK-led coalition Government in Pondicherry, the TMC on Thursday pulled out of the ministry with its lone nominee, local administration minister Theni C Jayakumar, resigning.

However, the TMC whose support is vital for the survival of the R V Janakiraman ministry, deferred a decision on the withdrawal of support to the government, senior party leader S R Balasubramanian told reporters here.

The TMC had already taken a stand that its continuance in the ministry had become `untenable' after the DMK supported PMK nominee against TMC leader P Kannan in the election to Pondicherry Lok Sabha seat in September.

The decision to pull out of the ministry was taken at a meeting of TMC legislators, held on Thursday in the presence of TMC high command observers Balasubramanian and general secretary K C Alagiri.

Balasubramanian told reporters after the meeting that the party was yet to take a decision on withdrawing support. "You have to wait for somemore time," he said in reply to a query on when the party would withdraw support.

The resignation letter was sent to Chief Minister R V Janakiraman through TMC's Pondicherry unit senior vice-president V Balaji.

However, Janakiraman refused to comment on the development. "I have to inform DMK president M Karunanidhi about it before acting on the letter."

The 33-member territorial assembly has 10 DMK members, TMC seven, Congress eight, AIADMK three, PMK two, CPI, Janata Dal(S) one each, and one an independent.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, the Congress reacted cautiously to the political developments in Pondicherry saying it would respond after analysing the situation.

Asked who will be the Chief Minister if the TMC-Congress staked claim to form the next government, Jogi said this was a hypothetical question. "We will let you know after analysing the whole situation."

Jogi avoided any reply to a question on the TMC's reported stand that AIADMK should be kept out of a likely TMC-Congress government in thestate.