Tamil Nadu   

2 Kannan supporters quit Ministry

By S. Nadarajan

PONDICHERRY, JAN. 28. The Pondicherry Education Minister, K. Lakshminarayanan, and the Local Administration Minister, A. Elumalai, today resigned from the Congress Ministry led by N. Rangasamy. They are supporters of the former Home Minister, P. Kannan, who walked out of the Congress on Monday after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Democratic Progressive Alliance allotted the Pondicherry Lok Sabha seat to the Pattali Makkal Katchi.

Mr. Rangasamy was away in the Raj Nivas holding talks with the Lt. Governor, N.N. Jha, on administrative matters when the Ministers sent in their resignations.

He read the letters on return to his office but chose not to comment on this issue when mediapersons met him.

When contacted, Mr. Lakshminarayanan said he and Mr. Elumalai did not assign any reason for quitting the Ministry. They continued to be members of the Assembly.

Mr. Kannan is weighing all options before finalising his political plan. There is a great expectation that he will contest the Lok Sabha poll as Independent. He has gone on record stating he will not cross over to any party.

Mr. Lakshminarayanan and Mr. Elumalai are among the four members of the Kannan-led Puduchery Makkal Congress (PMC) who won in the 2001 Assembly polls here. The other two are R. Radhakrishnan and P. Rajavelu.

The PMC merged with the Congress a few days before the formation of the Rangasamy-led Government. Now, after the resignations, the strength of the Ministry is four, including the Chief Minister.

Of the total number of 30 Members in the Assembly, the Congress has on its own 16 and enjoys the support of the two Independents and one Tamil Maanila Congress legislator from outside.

Meanwhile, the Congress Member of Parliament, M.O.H. Farook, held discussions with the Chief Minister and also had a meeting with the Pradesh Congress Committee president, V. Narayanasamy, and the former Chief Minister, V.Vaithilingam. Mr. Farook said management of a crisis, if it arose, should be the priority of everyone in the party. To a question, he said he had not given any suggestion to Mr. Rangasamy on how to handle the issue.

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