BJP, AINR-Congress rift may play spoilsport in Puducherry for NDA

Even as the BJP is going full throttle to capture power in Puducherry, there is a road block in front of it. Former Chief minister of Puducherry, N Rangaswamy who has floated the AINR Congress, is sulking over the public statement made by the Union home minister Amit Shah that Pudcherry will have a BJP Chief minister, during a programme last week.

Rangaswamy's camp is of the opinion that other than nominated legislators, BJP has yet to open an account in the state and that Shah's statement is an overambitious one and that this would do more harm than good for the party.

Rangaswamy, who was on a spiritual tour, had communicated to BJP national president JP Nadda that his party may have to contest alone given the situation. Sources in the BJP indicated that the situation is not out of control and the party is trying to patch up the differences with the powerful leader.

While the saffron camp is expecting a landslide with the support of AINR congress and AIADMK, the contention of those close to Rangaswamy is that the BJP has less than 3% vote share in the previous assembly elections and that the party will have to strive hard to make any dent in the state politics.

Rangaswamy wants to become the Chief minister and if the BJP national leadership agrees on this, there will not be much difficulties in forming a government. The DMK, Congress camp is also in uncertainty after the V Narayanaswamy government resigned and several legislators jumping fence.

It may be noted that AINR Congress had won 7 seats in the last assembly elections, even after going it alone in the fighting against an AIADMK, BJP alliance and a DMK,Congress alliance and this proves the clout of Rangaswamy in Puducherry politics. This is exactly what Rangaswamy and his associates are banking upon to wrest the state from the Congress, DMK combine and requires the support of the BJP, AIADMK combine for that.

BJP national general secretary in charge of Puducherry, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, while speaking to IANS over telephone said, "The NDA is strong in Puducherry and there is no ambiguity on what Home minister Amit Shah has said. He has clearly said that it will be an NDA government and there is no confusion in this. We will form the government with NR Congress and AIADMK."

With Chandrashekhar landing at Puducherry as the representative of the BJP national leadership, it seems things will be sorted out and Rangaswamy will fall in line.