Induction of 3 MLAs to Puducherry Assembly in keeping with statute, says Bedi

Puducherry : Three BJP MLAs were nominated to the Puducherry Assembly in keeping with the statute and an unnecessary issue had been created over the matter, said Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.

"Nomination of the three members was done truly in keeping with the statue. An unnecessary issue has, however, been raised and it should be avoided," she told media persons on the sidelines of an event organised by the National Cadet Corps here.

The L-G had on July 4 inducted the three members V Saminathan, BJP's Puducherry unit president, K G Shankar (its treasurer) and S Selvaganapathy (an educationist)  as nominated members into the Puducherry Assembly, following an order by the Union Home Ministry. They were sworn-in as members at a ceremony at Raj Nivas on the night of July 4 after Speaker V Vaithilingam had said his office had no information from about their nomination.

The induction of the three members by the Lt Governor had drew flak from the ruling Congress and its alliance partner DMK, besides a few other political parties. Chief Minister V Narayanasamy accused Bedi of working like a "BJP agent" and had termed the swearing-in of the three members as "murder of democracy".