NDA in Puducherry on verge of collapse as CM Rangasamy snubs BJP, leaves on pilgrimage

In a snub to a desperate BJP striving to save the alliance with its coalition partner, the All India NR Congress (AINRC), led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, the latter left Puducherry on a pilgrimage on Thursday, boycotting for the second time a meeting with the delegation of the saffron party headed by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Ahead of Mandaviya’s arrival from New Delhi, the Chief Minister left for Madurai and Tiruchendur to worship Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Murugan. After having darshan at the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai, he proceeded to the coastal town of Tiruchendur, home to the Murugan temple, one of the six abodes of the deity.

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Carrying a message from the BJP national leadership to assuage the ruffled feelings of Rangasamy on admitting the fledgling Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) of Jose Martin, son of lottery baron Santiago Martin, Mandaviya is returning from the national capital. He had been directed to convince Rangasamy that the BJP would take care of new entrants. This comes after Rangasamy had boycotted the earlier meeting on Tuesday, keeping Mandaviya and the BJP team for hours together, forcing the latter to get instructions from Delhi.

While the BJP is keen on accommodating the LJK in the NDA, the AINRC is opposed to it and is reportedly engaged in exploring the possibility of teaming up with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for the assembly election to the Union Territory. The AINRC deserting the NDA and possibly joining hands with the TVK has rattled the saffron party. The BJP has not given any assurance on the AINRC’s demand for full statehood to Puducherry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had touted Puducherry as heralding Congress-mukt Bharat after toppling the Congress government of V Narayanasamy, and the AINRC-BJP coalition won the 2021 election to the 30-member Territorial Assembly. AINRC sources maintain that Rangasamy is not interested in continuing the alliance with the BJP for this election since he thinks the saffron party, without any solid base, is trying to ride on his shoulders. If the AINRC pulls out of the NDA, the BJP would have to resurrect the NDA with the AIADMK and the LJK.