PUDUCHERRY: The NR Congress got a shot in the arm when former Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister and Raj Bhavan MLA K Lakshminarayanan joined the party with a host of supporters at the party office on Wednesday.
Lakshminarayanan, who resigned from the Congress ahead of the trust vote, was welcomed by party President N Rangasamy and other leaders and functionaries.
Talking to newspersons after admitting Lakshminarayanan into the party fold, Rangasamy said he is happy that Lakshminarayanan has joined the N R Congress. In the last five years, the Congress-DMK government failed to implement welfare schemes and projects, he said, adding that Lakshminarayanan despite being in the ruling party had raised his voice against the government.
Lakshminarayanan joining N R Congress will further strengthen the party and help it win the coming elections, he said. Asked whether N R Congress remains in the BJP alliance, Rangasamy said that he is in consultation with party legislators and it will be revealed at the appropriate time.
Lakshminarayanan came to the party office leading a two-wheeler procession with hundreds of volunteers.
Winning the assembly elections from Raj Bhavan and erstwhile Cassicade constituency (later merged into Raj Bhavan) four consecutive times in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016, Lakshminarayanan is a force to reckon with in the constituency. The Congress's loss is now the NR Congress's gain.