When the French India Socialist Party initiated moves to ratify the merger resolution, the French Governor scuttled it by postponing the session. Provoked by this, the Socialists made plans to capture the outlying communes one by one, then move on Pondicherry. The Communist Party of India was also ready to launch a campaign to merge Pondicherry with India. Accordingly, the leaders of the French India Socialist Party hoisted the Indian National Flag atop the Nettapakkam police station on the last day of March in 1954. Thus a provisional government, with Edouard Goubert as the head, was formed in the enclave of Nettapakkam. The Indian Armed Reserve was posted around its borders.