Former Puducherry CM denies reports of Congress not giving him election ticket

Puducherry [India], March 20 (ANI): Former Chief Minister of Puducherry, Narayanswamy on Saturday declined the reports claiming that the Congress party has not given him a ticket for the upcoming assembly polls in the Union Territory.
"Some media reports stated I am not fighting election because high command didn't give a ticket to me which is untrue. Sonia Gandhi asked me to fight the election," V Narayanasamy said while talking to ANI.
Narayansamy claimed that he turned down the offer as he is campaigning in all constituencies.
"Moreover, our Pradesh Congress Committee President is contesting election therefore we decided that I should go for the campaign in all the constituencies. Keeping that in mind I didn't contest the election," he added.
The wrong impression has been created that I had made a wrong translation of Rahul Gandhi's speech.
It is pertinent to note that Narayanasamy had become the Chief Minister in 2016 without contesting the polls and entered the Assembly by winning a by-election subsequently.
It is noted that the Congress-led government in the Union Territory collapsed before completing its five-year term under Chief Minister V Narayansamy.
Narayanasamy had resigned on February 22 ahead of a floor test in the 33-member House (including three nominated) following the resignations of five Congress and one Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) legislators. On February 23, President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the resignation of Narayanasamy and his council of ministers.
In the 2016 assembly polls, Congress had won 15 seats, All India NR Congress eight seats, AIADMK got four seats, DMK walked away with two MLAs. BJP could not win any seats.
While Congress is fighting the polls in an alliance with DMK, the opposition tie-up consists of All India NR Congress, BJP, and AIADMK.
Polling for 30 assembly seats in Puducherry will be held on April 6.
Of the 30 assembly seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates. As many as 10,02,589 electors will choose the candidates for the 15 legislative Assembly of Puducherry. (ANI)