Confirming the NR Congress-BJP-AIADMK alliance for the Puducherry election, BJP in-charge of the Union Territory Nirmal Kumar Suran said that seat sharing talks had been completed between the three parties. While NR Congress will contest from 16 seats, the BJP and AIADMK have together been allotted 14 seats to contest from.
“We will face elections in Puducherry under the leadership of N Rangaswamy,” said Nirmal Kumar Surana, speaking to reporters on Tuesday. This announcement came amidst speculation that the NR Congress might break away from the alliance.
On March 6, Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president AV Subramanian had made an offer to the NR Congress to form an alliance along with DMK, VCK and other parties.
On Saturday, AV Subramanian said, “If we form an alliance with NR Congress, then the three parties, NR Congress-Congress-DMK along with the Left, VCK and Muslim parties can establish a government with a great majority and deliver good governance.”
NR Congress is a breakaway faction of the Puducherry PCC and was formed by former Puducherry Chief Minister Rangasamy in 2011.
The alliance talks between the DMK and Congress for Puducherry have not been completed yet, and cracks were seen between the two parties even in the run up to the collapse of the Congress-led government. DMK leaders have openly spoken about contesting elections independently.
On February 25, three days after the Congress government lost the trust vote, President’s rule was imposed. A series of resignations by Congress MLAs that started on February 16 led to the collapse of the government.
The Puducherry Assembly has a total of 33 seats, of which five are reserved and three members are nominated by the Union Government through the Lt Governor. A total of 30 members of the Assembly are elected directly by the voters.