<p>Congress in Puducherry suffered a setback on Monday with Public Works Department (PWD) Minister A Namassivayam and another legislator resigning as MLAs. With this, the strength of the ruling party in the Assembly came down to 12, but Chief Minister V Narayanasamy ruled out any threat to his government saying DMK with three members and independents still support him.</p>.<p>Hours before Namassivayam submitted his resignation as MLA to Assembly Speaker V P Sivakozhundu, the Puducherry Congress suspended him from the party and all posts with immediate effect. Namassivayam and E Theepainthan, the second legislator who quit, are likely to join the BJP, as reported by <em>DH</em> on January 22.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/ruling-congress-faces-rebellion-in-puducherry-mlas-in-talks-with-bjp-941683.html">Ruling Congress faces rebellion in Puducherry; MLAs in talks with BJP</a></strong></p>.<p>Namassivayam, who lost the Chief Minister's chair to Narayanasamy in 2016, has been upset with the “functioning” of the Chief Minister for quite some time. <em>DH</em> had on January 22 reported that at least five legislators, including two ministers, are in talks with BJP.</p>.<p>The rebellion by Congress MLAs come months before the Union Territory is set to face Assembly polls. The DMK, which is an ally of Congress, is also toying with the idea of ditching the senior partner and going alone.</p>.<p>In a house of 30, Congress has 12 seats, DMK (3), and Independent (1). The Opposition camp has 11 members – 7 seats are held by N R Congress and 4 by AIADMK. One seat is vacant and the number will rise to three once the resignations of Namassivayam and Theepainthan are accepted.</p>.<p>Both Narayanasamy and Sivakozhundu declared that there was “no threat” to the Congress government in Puducherry. “There is no threat to my government. People who enjoyed power for 4.5 years have left the party for their own interests. People of Puducherry will know what to do with them. People who join BJP in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu will lose their political relevance,” Narayanasamy told reporters.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/bjp-has-no-place-in-puducherry-will-bite-the-dust-in-polls-cm-v-narayanasamy-942854.html">BJP has no place in Puducherry, will bite the dust in polls: CM V Narayanasamy </a></strong></p>.<p>In his defence, Namassivayam said he decided to quit as MLA after his party leadership ignored to address the grievances he raised in a letter. “The Chief Minister does not let anyone function independently. None of the grievances I aired were addressed. I was left with no option,” he said.</p>.<p>However, he was not forthcoming with answers to questions on joining the BJP, though the saffron party said “our doors” are always open for Namassivayam</p>.<p>The BJP, which hardly has any base in Puducherry, is “elated” with the rebellion in the Congress and is walking the extra mile to bring the rebels to its fold with the help of its ally, N R Congress, a splinter group of Congress floated by former Chief Minister N Rangasamy.</p>
<p>Congress in Puducherry suffered a setback on Monday with Public Works Department (PWD) Minister A Namassivayam and another legislator resigning as MLAs. With this, the strength of the ruling party in the Assembly came down to 12, but Chief Minister V Narayanasamy ruled out any threat to his government saying DMK with three members and independents still support him.</p>.<p>Hours before Namassivayam submitted his resignation as MLA to Assembly Speaker V P Sivakozhundu, the Puducherry Congress suspended him from the party and all posts with immediate effect. Namassivayam and E Theepainthan, the second legislator who quit, are likely to join the BJP, as reported by <em>DH</em> on January 22.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/ruling-congress-faces-rebellion-in-puducherry-mlas-in-talks-with-bjp-941683.html">Ruling Congress faces rebellion in Puducherry; MLAs in talks with BJP</a></strong></p>.<p>Namassivayam, who lost the Chief Minister's chair to Narayanasamy in 2016, has been upset with the “functioning” of the Chief Minister for quite some time. <em>DH</em> had on January 22 reported that at least five legislators, including two ministers, are in talks with BJP.</p>.<p>The rebellion by Congress MLAs come months before the Union Territory is set to face Assembly polls. The DMK, which is an ally of Congress, is also toying with the idea of ditching the senior partner and going alone.</p>.<p>In a house of 30, Congress has 12 seats, DMK (3), and Independent (1). The Opposition camp has 11 members – 7 seats are held by N R Congress and 4 by AIADMK. One seat is vacant and the number will rise to three once the resignations of Namassivayam and Theepainthan are accepted.</p>.<p>Both Narayanasamy and Sivakozhundu declared that there was “no threat” to the Congress government in Puducherry. “There is no threat to my government. People who enjoyed power for 4.5 years have left the party for their own interests. People of Puducherry will know what to do with them. People who join BJP in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu will lose their political relevance,” Narayanasamy told reporters.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/bjp-has-no-place-in-puducherry-will-bite-the-dust-in-polls-cm-v-narayanasamy-942854.html">BJP has no place in Puducherry, will bite the dust in polls: CM V Narayanasamy </a></strong></p>.<p>In his defence, Namassivayam said he decided to quit as MLA after his party leadership ignored to address the grievances he raised in a letter. “The Chief Minister does not let anyone function independently. None of the grievances I aired were addressed. I was left with no option,” he said.</p>.<p>However, he was not forthcoming with answers to questions on joining the BJP, though the saffron party said “our doors” are always open for Namassivayam</p>.<p>The BJP, which hardly has any base in Puducherry, is “elated” with the rebellion in the Congress and is walking the extra mile to bring the rebels to its fold with the help of its ally, N R Congress, a splinter group of Congress floated by former Chief Minister N Rangasamy.</p>
