PUDUCHERRY: Though NR Congress and BJP have sealed their alliance, there is no clarity on who would be the chief ministerial candidate.
While AINRC has declared its founder N Rangasamy as its CM face, BJP continues to remain non-committal on the issue.
On Tuesday night, the AINRC executive committee adopted a resolution declaring N Rangasamy as the CM choice.
During the formalisation of the alliance with NR Congress, Puducherry BJP in-charge Nirmal Kumar Surana said that after elections, the leaders of the alliance parties in NDA will decide on the Chief Minister.
However, Rangasamy would lead the NDA in the polls, he observed.
But, the announcement did not go down well with the cadre, who demanded that Rangasamy be positioned as the CM candidate of the NDA during the signing of the alliance agreement.
However, Rangasamy advised them to keep calm. Later, NR Congress convened an emergency meeting of the State executive committee under the Chairmanship of Rangasamy and adopted a resolution.
When the BJP was asked to respond to this, Surana said, “Don’t confuse leadership with Chief Ministership. We are facing the elections under the Chairmanship of the very experienced Rangasamy.”
The number of seats for AINRC has been decided and that for AIADMK and BJP are yet to be finalised.
Former PWD Minister A Namassivayam, the Chief Minister aspirant of BJP, played down the development.
“Whatever decisions are taken by the party leadership, I will accept and abide by it,” he said.