Kiran Bedi removed as Lt Governor of Puducherry

The statement from President Ram Nath Kovind's office available with media said that Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Governor of Telangana, has been asked to discharge the functions of the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry, in addition to her own duties, until a new appointment is made.

"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, with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office, until regular arrangements for the office of Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry are made," the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said.

Bedi's removal from the post comes just weeks ahead of the Assembly polls and is being widely seen as a political move on the part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to negate the Congress' campaign, which alleged that the former top cop was scuttling Puducherry's development at the behest of the Centre.

Bedi took oath as the Lt. Governor of Puducherry in May 2016.

According to reports, she has been involved in a long-time feud with Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who has cited her "undemocratic style of functioning".

Elections are scheduled to be held by May in Puducherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu, besides Kerala, West Bengal and Assam.

The BJP does not expect much from Tamil Nadu and Kerala at this juncture, but the party stands a better chance in Puducherry, with four Congress MLAs resigning from the Puducherry Assembly so far.