The removal of Kiran Bedi comes with only a few weeks to the Assembly elections in Puducherry (Archive)
New Delhi:
The removal of Kiran Bedi as deputy governor of Puducherry is “a victory for the people,” Chief Minister V Narayanasamy told NDTV late Tuesday night, shortly after Rashtrapati Bhavan removed Bedi from office. The order, which comes as the ruling Congress undergoes a numerical crisis, has been widely viewed as a political move by the BJP to deny its rivals’ primary campaign platform and further weaken them ahead of the May elections. It also comes hours after a fourth congressional leader resigned from the Assembly, leaving the Narayanasamy government on the brink of collapse. However, Narayanasamy has dismissed that speech and stressed: “Our government is not a minority.”
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“It is a victory in our fight for secularism. It is a victory for the people … the people of Puducherry are celebrating the removal of Kiran Bedi,” Narayanasamy told NDTV on Tuesday night. Mr. Naryanasamy and Ms. Bedi have fought a long-standing dispute. He has repeatedly accused her of spoiling Puducherry’s development at the behest of the center.
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Mr. Narayanasamy also told NDTV that the BJP was poaching MLA and repeating tactics used in other states to “overthrow democratically elected governments.” “It is public knowledge … people are saying that this MLA and that minister has been bought …” he said. He accused the BJP of planning another “Operation Kamal (lotus)”.
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Four leaders of Congress have resigned so far; a fifth, N Dhanavelou, was disqualified last year for alleged anti-party activities. A Namassivayam and E Theeppainjan resigned last month; both have since joined the BJP. On Monday Malladi Krishna Rao resigned, and today John Kumar resigned. With these, Congress lost its slim majority in the Assembly.
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Malladi Krishna Rao’s move was surprising, as he had accompanied the Chief Minister to Delhi last week in what was another push to remove Kiran Bedi. On Tuesday night, the chief minister told NDTV: “We met with the president because Kiran Bedi had harassed Malladi Krishna Rao several times … she has been trying to create trouble.”
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Mr. Rao’s resignation was due to irritation with Ms. Bedi, Mr. Narayanasamy stated. “I was nervous because Kiran Bedi was blocking his projects. He’s still with me. I’m sure I can persuade him,” he said.
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Rao is not the only congressional leader hoping to leave the ruling party (and into the arms of the BJP), Theeppainjan told NDTV on Tuesday. He suggested that several members of the ruling party were ready to jump ship. Naryanasamy has criticized such suggestions, attacking the BJP for luring its MLAs with money and false promises.
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The change of Mr. Namassivayam was also a great blow; the former head of the state Congress played an important role in consolidating the party base in Puducherry. With him, several other leaders and officials came out and went on to the BJP, a worn-out script that has developed in several states where defections have toppled governments.
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Elections are scheduled for May in Puducherry and neighboring Tamil Nadu, as well as Kerala, West Bengal and Assam. The BJP does not expect much from Tamil Nadu and Kerala at the moment, but feels it has a better chance in Puducherry, with Congress weakened.
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Narayanasamy has dismissed any threat from the BJP, saying that Puducherry voters are different. “… (voters) only opt for secular parties. They will not support any communal elements. People who join the BJP in Puducherry … their political career will be doomed.”
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Congress won 15 seats in the Assembly in 2016, including Spokesperson. He took power with the support of the DMK and an independent candidate. The opposition AINRC has seven, the AIADMK has four and there are three nominated members of the BJP.
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