Puducherry: Kiran Bedi served as Lieutenant Governor until Tuesday night
Puducherry:
Kiran Bedi thanked the government for a “lifetime experience” as deputy governor of Puducherry, after last night she was removed from the highest office amid a crisis in the congressional government in the territory of the union. The congressional government has become a minority after four congressional leaders resigned from the Assembly since last month.
“Thank you to everyone who was a part of my journey as deputy governor of Puducherry – the town of Puducherry and all public officials,” Ms. Bedi, 71, tweeted this morning, along with a statement.
“I am grateful to the Government of India for a lifelong experience in serving Puducherry, as his deputy governor,” he said. “TeamRajNivas” worked diligently to serve the greater public interest, Ms. Bedi said.
Ms Bedi’s withdrawal notice, which came from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, is seen as a political move by the BJP to deny the primary campaign platform of its rivals and further weaken them ahead of the assembly elections in May.
Thanks to all who were part of my trip as Vice Governor of Puducherry-
The people of Puducherry and all the civil servants. pic.twitter.com/ckvwJ694qq– Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) February 17, 2021
The former IPS officer also tweeted a clip of a motivational quote from the cover of a dairy on her table. “Good heart, fierce mind, brave spirit,” it said.
The Governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundararajan, has been asked to serve as Deputy Governor of Puducherry, in addition to her own duties, until a new appointment is made.
Ms Bedi served as Lieutenant Governor until Tuesday night and reviewed the COVID-19 vaccination campaign on union territory and issued instructions to bring the police force and sanitation workers into the front-line worker category for the inoculation.
Prime Minister V Narayanasamy, who has disagreed with her since her appointment at Puducherry, welcomed her removal, calling it a “victory for the people.”
Of the 30 MLAs elected in the assembly, Congress had 15 members and, along with all three and an independent member of the DMK, had barely passed the majority mark of 16.
After the resignations, the government and the opposition are at 14. The Congress has 10 members, which leaves the government of V Narayanasamy to one less than the majority mark, which is now 15 and the assembly is reduced to 28 .
The Chief Minister, however, denies it. “Our government is not a minority,” he told NDTV, accusing the BJP of poaching the MLA. “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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