President Kovind removes Kiran Bedi as Puducherry L-G

Kiran Bedi was removed as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry late on Tuesday evening. Telangana Governor Tamilsai Soundararajan has been given additional charge of the Union Territory until regular arrangements are made.

A communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, “The President has directed that Dr. Kiran Bedi shall cease to hold the office of the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry and has appointed Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana, to discharge the functions of the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry, in addition to her own duties.”

The statement didn’t specify any reason behind Ms Bedi’s removal in poll-bound Puducherry. In fact, Ms. Bedi had put up a two-minute long video of her supervising reasons for the Union Territory’s low rate of COVID vaccination.

Known for her regular confrontation with the elected government, the Congress had written to the President earlier to recall the LG.

The move comes on a day when the Congress government, headed by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, slipped into minority after the resignation of two MLAs in the last two days. In all, four MLAs have quit since January.

The high profile exits of the Congress lawmakers has come as an embarrassment for the party as former party chief Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to kick off the party’s poll campaign on Wednesday.