Puducherry portfolio delay: Ex-CM Narayanasamy seeks L-G, CM's resignation
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy on Saturday demanded the resignation of Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy for creating a “constitutional and administrative crisis” in Puducherry by delaying the allocation of portfolios in the NDA Cabinet.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Narayanasamy said the Union Territory has been left without a fully functional Cabinet for nearly three months after the Assembly election results were announced. He pointed out that the Chief Minister submitted the portfolio list to the Lt. Governor on July 20, but more than 12 days later, the portfolios of the Cabinet members have still not been notified.
“The Lt. Governor has no role in deciding on the portfolios once the Chief Minister submits the list to his office. His job was to sign and recommend the list for notification. The Lt. Governor’s decision not to notify the list amounted to dereliction of duty. He has created a constitutional crisis,” the Congress leader said.
Mr. Narayanasamy also said that if the Chief Minister cannot obtain the Lt. Governor’s signature on the portfolio list, he should resign. “The Lt. Governor should also tender his resignation for creating a constitutional crisis in Puducherry. This kind of situation is unheard of in the country,” he added.
In a separate matter, Mr. Narayanasamy urged the government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the Karnataka government’s decision to construct a dam across the Cauvery river. He said the issue should be resolved through legal means and that the Puducherry government should consult all political parties to take an appropriate stand.
There was no immediate response from the offices of the Lt. Governor or the Chief Minister to the former CM’s demands. The delay in portfolio allocation has raised questions about the functioning of the Union Territory’s administration, with political observers calling for clarity on the matter.
