Independent member quits Pondy House

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, MAY 30. Mr. Malladi Krishna Rao, an Independent MLA representing the lone segment in Yanam, today resigned his seat.

The Speaker, Mr. A. V. Subramanian, announced in the Assembly that Mr. Rao had submitted his resignation letter yesterday and had also expressed his decision to quit the post of MLA from the afternoon today. The Speaker said the resignation had been accepted.

The Speaker told presspersons later that a notification on the resignation was being issued and a copy of the notification would be sent to the Election Commission to take action to fill the vacancy.

Although Mr. Rao had not assigned any reason for his resignation, it was obviously to enable the Chief Minister, Mr. P. Shanmugham, who is not a member of the Assembly, to contest the poll and become a member of the House. The Territorial Assembly normally has a strength of 33 members including three nominated members. With Mr. Shanmugham inducted into the Assembly, the strength had risen to 34 and the Opposition had been criticising the ``legal discrepancy'' and hence had been urging the government to clarify how there could be a member more than the statutorily sanctioned strength.

Mr. Rao told this correspondent in the office room of the Chief Minister today that he had quit the MLA post on his own and there was no pressure or persuasion from any quarters. He said although Yanam had not gained representation in any ministry since Pondicherry became free in 1963, he would be proud to see that a Chief Minister represented his constituency in the Assembly.

He said that Mr. Shanmugham would win the poll with a thumping majority. He would campaign with full organisational work.

This is the first time that an elected member had quit the post particularly when a necessity has arisen for a non-member to seek election within six months as is required by the Constitution.

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Section  : Southern States
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