AMN
Former Union Minister and Congress General Secretary V Narayanasamy has been elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party to become next Chief Minister of Union Territory of Puducherry.
This announcement was made today by former Delhi Chief Minister Shelia Dikshit and AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik who had been deputed as observers by the Congress leadership after holding consultations with newly elected MLAs.
Briefing the media after the Congress legislature Party meeting, Mrs. Shiela Dikshit said, the decision was unanimous. PCC President A Namassivayam proposed the name of Narayanasamy while former Chief Minister V Vaithilingam seconded his name.
With this the 10 day wait for the naming of the new chief Minister for Puducherry is over. However no date is given for swearing in of the new Government.
Chief Minister elect Mr Narayanasamy did not clarify whether the alliance partner DMK will join the Government. Congress has 15 members in the 30 member Territorial Assembly while their coalition partner DMK has two legislators.
Mr Narayanasamy represented Puducherry in Rajya Sabha for four terms and was elected to Lok Sabha in 2009. He served as Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office in UPA Government.
Narayanasamy will have to face election within six months as he had not contested the May 16 Assembly Polls.
Meanwhile, hearing the news that their leader Namassivayam has been sidelined, his supporters went on rampage outside venue of the meeting. They resorted to stone pelting and damaged buses plying the Highway. A few passengers and staff of the buses sustained minor injuries. Police resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the mob.