House of cards: Long backstory to the political developments in Puducherry

It was all over for the Congress-DMK government in Puducherry when the Assembly convened a special session for a confidence vote on Monday. But that was merely the last straw. The story of how Puducherry’s house of cards collapsed has an origin outside of, and a process longer than, the doomed confidence vote in the Assembly. On Monday, former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy launched a diatribe against the Centre and the BJP, alleging designs to topple the government, and Whip R.K.R. Anantharaman raised loud protests over the three nominated BJP MLAs being allowed to vote on the motion. But, on D-Day, all that was required was for the Opposition legislators to show up in the House for the government to bow out.