Puducherry Assembly Election | Congress siege in its stronghold

More than a decade since the throne of power was vacated at the Center, the Union Territory of Puducherry has been associated with its reputation as a Congress stronghold. In the three assembly elections since 2006, the only time it missed as an alternative to the worst case was to insult the Congress’ regional All India NR Congress.

However, the reputation as one of the last remaining Congress strongholds in the country comes under severe test as Assembly elections are held for the 30-member House on 6 April.

This year, the Secular Democratic Progressive Alliance (SDPA) between the Congress-DMK-Left-VCK parties had its founder and former Chief Minister N. There is a mountain to overcome AINRC, a rebel led by Rangasamy, who is in charge of the NDA. The BJP is believed to control the nomination of three nominated MLAs of the assembly and is contesting nine seats, and the AIADMK is holding some strongholds in Puducherry and Karaikal.

Exit chain

The Congress, which was overwhelmed by a series of eventual exit of influential leaders in the fall of its government in a trust vote on 22 February, barely a few days before the elections, bore no resemblance to the party, riding in power in 2016. In alliance with DMK.

Before one crisis would end, the other would also brew. Party activists created a furore when the key ally DMK left the negotiating table with an unprecedented 13 seats for its kitty for the Congress and 15 seats for the VCK and CPI. Tinderbox caught fire when the DMK fielded candidates in key constituencies, where the Congress believed it was a fighting opportunity and the PCC meeting provoked screening candidates into protests, waved a DMK flag and The aggrieved party asked if the party “put it up for sale to the ally.

CM candidate

The NDA coalition of AINRC-BJP-AIADMK has not done without its troubles, mainly because of the rift between BJP and AINRC over the chief ministerial candidate. While the BJP stuck to its non-committal policy on the candidature of the chief minister, the AINRC executive went ahead and announced the appointment of Mr. Rangasamy as the chief minister in the NDA victory. The AIADMK is also getting smarter due to being overlooked for third place in the formation.

While the AINRC is contesting 16 seats, the BJP is contesting only five seats, despite its long political history, in nine seats, except the AIADMK, which came to power twice in 1974 and 1977 – though the Council of Ministers was not even halfway . The allies withdrew support.

While Mr. Narayanasamy has decided not to contest the election but campaigned only for the party, former Chief Minister and AINRC supremo Mr. Rangasamy is contesting from Thatchanavady and Yanam, while Congress leader and former minister A.K. Namasivayam descends into the ground. In Mannadipet.

The Congress has been pitted against staunch anti-AINRC in seats like Aranyakuppam, Mbalam, Indira Nagar, Kadirgam, Karaikal North, Nedungadu, Nettapakkam.

It is the Congress against the BJP in Lospet, Osudu, Thirunalar and Manveli.

The AIADMK and DMK also face places like Karikal South, Orlinpet, Oppalam and Mudaliarpet.

Also in the fray are smaller players such as Makkal Neithi Maam, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Naam Tamilar Kachi, Bahujan Samaj Party, CPI (ML), SDPI and Independents.

‘Anti-poor policies’

Puducherry PCC Chief AV Subramanian said, “Despite recent failures, we are hoping to win as communities and class people who suffer due to pro-corporate and anti-poor central policies.” Karaikal North.

Petrol is furious over diesel price hike, unemployment and deprivation of reservation benefits and will reflect silent votes against the BJP, as it did in the last parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

However, Vanniyar is a prominent community, to which Mr. Rangasamy, Mr. Namasivayam, who was the second-in-command of the Congress before joining the BJP, exerted considerable influence, the Congress would have been expecting integration of the backward classes (about 35%). ) And minority communities (about 15%) against the NDA.

NDA’s trust

NDA campaign managers are confident about the front victory and the “path to Congress” and propose a rally of about 25 seats.

Nirmal Kumar Surana, BJP in-charge of the Union Territory, said, “Like other parts of the country, the Congress in Puducherry is facing public anger over its dismal performance.”

“Congress has no credibility left. It blames the Center for covering up its failure to deliver on any of its 52 manifesto promises. People understand that the Congress government fell due to its many failures and the loss of confidence of its own MLAs who left the party, ”said Mr. Surana, who has been overseeing the strategy here for the last six months.

Star publicist

The BJP is expected to line up with star campaigners in Puducherry from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP National President JP Nadda. The Congress is expecting Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to stay with Vadra during the elections.

In more than one survey, the NDA coalition in the 20-25 range is projected to win seats. Although synephologists have spoken, it is a long wait until May 2, to see if Vaux speculates with Populi.