Puducherry Congress unit holds a screening committee meeting for the April 9 Assembly elections in the UT. Photo: X|@DrAnjaliTai
Puducherry polls | Standoff persists in NDA, INDIA blocs as nomination deadline nears
Internal friction over seat-sharing and leadership keeps both major fronts in a state of high-stakes uncertainty ahead of the April 9 battle
With just over three weeks remaining before the Union Territory (UT) of Puducherry heads to the polls on April 9, both its ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are yet to finalise their respective seat-sharing negotiations.
The current deadlock underscores the fractured internal dynamics and deep-seated friction within both the competing fronts. The formal nomination process is also underway, but yet, the lack of clarity over the respective alliances' poll arrangements has only made things uncertain in the former French colony.
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The Puducherry Assembly has 30 seats and three nominated members, who can carry out the functions of the elected members.
NDA bloc under strain
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces a challenging election season this year with battle lines drawn in some states where it has not been a frontline power, the situation which has emerged in Puducherry, which it rules, would leave the saffron camp dejected.
Chief Minister N Rangasamy of the N R Congress had earlier confirmed that his party would continue in the alliance, and the electoral pact seemed to be settled. However, no official announcement has been made regarding the seats.
The BJP's in-charge for the UT, Nirmal Kumar Surana, had initially stated that the seat-sharing formula would mirror the previous election, with the NR Congress contesting 16 seats, and the BJP taking up 14, from which it would allocate constituencies to allies such as the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and others. However, recent developments suggest that negotiations were far from being a walk in the park.
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Rangasamy's party has reportedly placed key conditions, including opposition to the inclusion of the newly formed Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi of Jose Charles Martin, son of lottery king Santiago Martin, and a renewed demand for statehood for Puducherry.
Additionally, the party is said to be seeking a larger share of seats if the allocation to AIADMK is reduced.
Rangasamy refuses to meet Mandaviya
What made the rift look wider is Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya's failed attempt to sit with Rangasamy for talks at a luxury hotel in the UT, but the latter did not attend the meeting. The silence from BJP leaders following this was even more deafening about what was transpiring in the ruling alliance. There were also reports that suggested that the NR Congress was even ready to walk out of the NDA.With the nomination deadline approaching fast and elections set to be held shortly thereafter, the continued delay in finalising alliances has also created uncertainty among party cadres and voters alike.
The NR Congress won 10 seats in the 2021 polls, while the BJP won six.
INDIA bloc: Talks stalled
Things were no better in the INDIA alliance either. While it aspires to return to power after a decade, negotiations between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have remained stalled due to disagreements over leadership and seat allocation.
The Congress is reportedly aiming to contest between 18 and 21 seats and has already sent its proposed list to its high command.
This would mean that the DMK is just left with around nine seats. However, the DMK, which currently has six MLAs and serves as the principal Opposition in the UT assembly, is pushing to contest nearly 18 constituencies.
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The leadership question has further intensified the rift, with DMK leaders asserting that the alliance should be led by the party. They have also indicated that seat-sharing with allies such as the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Communist Party of India would be decided by the DMK.
During a recent candidate interaction meeting held at the party's headquarters, Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, DMK leaders from Puducherry submitted a letter to party chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, urging him to ensure that the alliance is formed under his party's leadership.
The DMK’s demand is backed by its relatively better performance in the 2021 elections, where it won six out of 13 seats it contested, while the Congress managed to win only two out of 15 seats. Party leaders argue that a stronger showing by the DMK is crucial if the alliance hopes to form the government this time.
The talks between the DMK and the Congress were so deadlocked that members of neither side wanted to pay a visit to the opposite camp for negotiations. Neither of them has shown a will to bulge and it is to be seen how the Opposition bloc's politics plays out eventually.
Results of Puducherry elections will be announced, along with those of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on May 4.
