Cong stakes claim to form Govt in Pondy

Cong stakes claim to form Govt in Pondy
AGENCIES

PONDICHERRY, MARCH 17: The Congress on Thursday night staked its claim to form an alternative government in the Union Territory after the Jankiraman Government was reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) earlier in the day.

A Congress delegation comprising Pradesh Congress Committee president P Shanmugham, M O H Farook, Member of Parliament and legislature party leader V Vaithilingam along with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislature party leader K Natarajan and Communist Party of India legislator R Viswanathan called on the Lieutenant Governor at the Raj Nivas and also submitted a letter.

TMC legislature party leader Rajasekaran Udayar handed over a letter to CLP leader V Vaithialingam extending his party's support to Congress for formation of a Government.

Vaithialingam told reporters here that he had given the TMC's letter to Lieutenant Governor Rajni Rai who had forwarded it to President K R Narayanan and Union Home Minister L K Advani.

As per the Union Territory's act, the President has to take action on all matters pertaining to government formation.

Claiming the support of 20 members in the 33-seat assembly, Vaithialingam said the Lt Governor should ask Chief Minister R V Janakiraman to resign and invite him to form an alternative ministry.

Viswanathan submitted a letter to Dr Rai expressing the CPI's support to the formation of an alternative government by the Congress, while Natarajan assured that the AIADMK would present the letter of support by Friday.

Dr Rai later told newspersons she had received a letter from the TMC withdrawing support to the Janakiraman Ministry and was yet to go through the letter submitted by the Congress.

Moreover, she had to consult the President and the Union Home Minister to take an appropriate decision, she added.

Meanwhile, Pondicherry Chief Minister R V Janakiraman on Friday reiterated that he would be able to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly when the House meets on March 24, for the presentation of Budget for 2000-2001.

Janakiraman told reporters here that the appropriate forum to prove his majority was the Assembly. "You will see that I will be presenting the Budget," he said.

Asked when he was likely to meet the Lt Governor, he said he would first meet his party Chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai and only then meet Rai.

Responding to a question about reports that the DMK was attempting to engineer split in the TMC, he said, "Wait and see."

Urging Lieutenant Govenor Dr Rajani Rai to take action as per the Constitution, Farook said if necessary, they were prepared to produce before her the legislators supporting the Congress to form the Govenment.