Puducherry Assembly Elections | Congress under siege in its bastion

In over a decade because the grand previous celebration vacated the throne of energy on the Centre, the Union Territory of Puducherry has clung to its popularity as a Congress bastion. In the three Assembly elections since 2006, the one time it defaulted to a worst case situation various was to decide on an offshoot of the Congress, the regional All India NR Congress.

However, that popularity as one of many final remaining Congress bastions in the nation comes under extreme take a look at because the Union Territory braces for the April 6 Assembly elections to the 30-member House.

This 12 months, the Congress-DMK-Left-VCK events under the Secular Democratic Progressive Alliance (SDPA) have a mountain to climb to beat a resurgent AINRC spearheaded by its founder and former Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, who leads the NDA cost, a assured BJP that controls the nomination of three nominated legislators to the Assembly and is contesting 9 seats, and the AIADMK with its sway over a few strongholds in Puducherry and Karaikal.

Series of exits

The Congress, which has been embattled by a collection of exits of influential leaders that ultimately culminated in the autumn of its authorities in a belief vote on February 22, barely days earlier than elections had been notified, bears no resemblance to the celebration that rode to energy in alliance with the DMK in 2016.

Even earlier than one disaster subsided, one other would brew. Party staff fumed when the principal ally DMK walked away from the negotiating desk with an unprecedented 13 seats in its kitty in opposition to 15 for the Congress and one every for the VCK and the CPI. The hearth was lit on the tinderbox when the DMK fielded candidates in key constituencies the place the Congress believed it stood a preventing probability and a PCC assembly to display candidates erupted in protests, waving of a DMK flag and offended posers over whether or not the celebration had been “put up for sale” to the ally.

CM candidate

The NDA alliance of the AINRC-BJP-AIADMK too has not with out its personal set of troubles, primarily the discord between the BJP and the AINRC over the chief ministerial candidate. While the BJP caught to its non-committal coverage on Chief Minister candidature, the AINRC government went forward and introduced Mr. Rangasamy as Chief Minister in an NDA win. The AIADMK can also be smarting under the ignominy of being relegated to 3rd spot in the formation.

While the AINRC is contesting 16 seats, the BJP is fielding candidates in 9 seats leaving the AIADMK with simply 5 seats in spite of its lengthy political historical past, having been in energy twice — in 1974 and 1977 — although the ministries didn’t final even half the time period after allies withdrew help.

While Mr. Narayanasamy has taken the non-public choice to not contest however solely marketing campaign for the celebration, former Chief Minister and AINRC supremo Mr. Rangasamy is contesting from Thattanchavady and Yanam whereas Congressman-turned-BJP chief and former Minister A. Namassivayam takes the sphere in Mannadipet.

The Congress is pitted in opposition to arch-rival AINRC in seats comparable to Ariyankuppam, Embalam, Indira Nagar, Kadirgamam, Karaikal North, Nedungadu, Nettapakkam.

It is Congress in opposition to the BJP in Lawspet, Oussudu, Thirunallar and Manavely.

The AIADMK and the DMK additionally face off at locations comparable to Karaikal South, Orleanpet, Ouppalam and Mudaliarpet.

Also in the fray are smaller gamers such because the Makkal Neethi Maiam, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Naam Tamilar Katchi, Bahujan Samaj Party, the CPI (ML), the SDPI and a number of Independents.

‘Anti-poor policies’

“In spite of recent setbacks, we hope to win as people across communities and classes who are suffering due to pro-corporate and anti-poor Central policies will silently express themselves on polling day,” mentioned A.V. Subramanian, Puducherry PCC chief, contesting in Karaikal North.

There is anger over petrol diesel value hikes, joblessness and deprivation of reservation advantages and this can replicate in silent votes in opposition to the BJP very similar to what occurred in the final Parliament elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Mr. Subramanian mentioned.

Though the Vanniyars are a dominant neighborhood over which Mr. Rangasamy, Mr. Namassivayam, who was the Congress’ second-in-command earlier than becoming a member of the BJP, wield appreciable affect, the Congress might be hoping for a consolidation of backward courses (about 35%) and minority communities (roughly 15%) in opposition to the NDA.

NDA assured

NDA marketing campaign managers are assured in regards to the entrance’s victory and a “rout of the Congress” and venture a tally of about 25 seats.

“The Congress in Puducherry, like elsewhere in the country, is facing public anger over its dismal performance,” mentioned Nirmal Kumar Surana, BJP in-charge for the Union Territory.

“The Congress has no credibility left. It keeps blaming the Centre to cover up its failures … for not delivering on any of its 52 manifesto promises. People understand that the Congress government fell under the weight of its multiple failures and the loss of confidence of its own MLAs who quit the party,” mentioned Mr. Surana, who has been tenting right here for the final six months to supervise technique.

Star campaigners

BJP expects to rope in a line-up of star campaigners in Puducherry from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP nationwide president J.P. Nadda,. The Congress is anticipating stop-overs by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra throughout electioneering.

In a couple of ballot survey, the NDA alliance has been projected to win a tally of seats in the 20-25 vary. Though the psephologists have spoken, it’s a lengthy wait till May 2 to see if the projections tally with the vox populi.