M A I N   N E W S

Cong stakes claim in Pondicherry

PONDICHERRY, March 16 (UNI) — The main Opposition Congress tonight staked its claim to form an alternative government in the union territory after the Jankiraman government was reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by the Tamil Manila Congress (TMC) earlier in the day.

A Congress delegation comprising PCC (I) President P. Shanmugham, M.O.H. Farook, MP and legislature party leader V. Vaithilingam along with AIADMK legislature party leader K. Natarajan and CPI legislator R. Viswanathan called on the Lt-Governor at Rajnivas tonight and submitted a letter in this regard.

Urging the Lt-Governor, Dr Rajani Rai, to take action as per the Constitution, Mr Farook said if necessary, they were prepared to produce before her the legislators supporting the Congress to form the government.