Congress-DMK alliance, NDA each hopeful of getting 24 out of 30 seats in Puducherry elections
PUDUCHERRY: The Congress–DMK alliance as well as the NDA comprising the BJP, NR Congress and AIADMK are each hopeful of getting at least 24 seats in the Assembly elections to 30 constituencies and coming to power in the Union territory.
While the Congress wants to capitalise on the sympathy generated over the toppling of its government as well as the Kiran Bedi factor who put 'hurdles in the functioning of the government', the BJP on the other hand wants to win by showcasing the development agenda unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as 'non-performance' of the Congress-DMK government of V Narayanasamy.
The Congress, which has begun collecting applications from those who wish to contest the upcoming elections, is upbeat about returning to power in alliance with the DMK. "The Congress-DMK alliance will win in at least 24 constituencies," said Pradesh Congress President A V Subramanian.
The government has completed its tenure and at the fag end it was toppled by poaching of MLAs by the BJP, which is being watched by the people who are angry, said Lok Sabha member V Vaithilingam. On account of this, there is an anti-Narendra Modi wave which will not only affect the prospects of the BJP but also its allies NR Congress and AIADMK, he added.
Already the people’s attitude towards the BJP and its allies was visible in the Lok Sabha polls as well as in the byelections to Nellithope, Thattanchavady and Kamaraj Nagar constituencies, said Subramanian. The BJP and its allies could not win even a single election. Thus they have no place in Puducherry, he claimed.
The Congress is also wooing back its estranged ally, the DMK. "We are discussing seat sharing and will complete it smoothly," said Subramanian. At present, negotiations are underway in Chennai and Puducherry with the second rung leaders, he said.
Even if the DMK seeks more seats than the 2016 elections, the Congress is willing to discuss and consider it, said Subramanian. If the DMK desires to contest in certain constituencies and have winnable candidates, it will be given to them, he said. This attitudinal change in the Congress has come after the DMK sought to delink the alliance in Tamil Nadu with that in Puducherry. The Congress needs the DMK to emerge stronger to take on the NDA.
The BJP on the other hand has begun poll preparations more than three months back, said Nirmal Kumar Surana, Karnataka BJP Vice President who is overseeing the elections for the NDA in Puducherry. The party has managed to get the prize catch of former PWD Minister A Namassivayam, who was number two in the Narayanasamy cabinet and more importantly is a tall leader from the Vanniyar community, which has a sizable population in Puducherry.
Besides, Congress MLAs K Lakshminarayanan, A John Kumar and D Venkatesan who have good prospects of winning are likely to join the NDA. With N Rangasamy, a popular leader, leading the NR Congress, and the AIADMK, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, also in the fold, the NDA is brimming with confidence.
"We will win 24 seats plus," said Nirmal Kumar. "We have good candidates for the contest. With the resignation of Malladi Krishna Rao, the NDA’s prospects in Yanam are also bright. "Even in Mahe, we will spring a surprise," said Nirmal Kumar. Meanwhile, seat sharing is being discussed among the allies who are hoping to finalise it in the next few days.