PUDUCHERRY: After the long tussle over formation of Puducherry Cabinet, parties in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are at loggerheads again. This time, the issue being whom to nominate to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the Union Territory.
With the elections to the Upper House slated for October 4, the BJP has adopted a resolution on Friday deciding to contest the seat, even as its ally, the AINRC, wanted the same. The decision was taken after a meeting of the party’s legislators and independent MLAs, in the presence of BJP State unit president, V Saminathan, and Legislative party leader and Home Minister, A Namassivayam.
A memorandum was handed over to Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who is also the leader of the NDA alliance in the Union Territory, at his office in presence of 11 BJP MLAs. The party cited support of 12 MLAs (six elected, three independents, and three nominated) which made them the largest party in the Territorial Assembly. Hence, they wanted to contest the elections.
Though the party has not revealed its candidate, possibilities are that it could be either Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Dr L Murugan, who needs to get elected, or a person outside the UT who is said to be close to a Union minister. “The candidate will be finalised by the BJP Parliamentary Board,” Namassivayam added.
Meanwhile, according to sources, CM Rangasamy has made it clear that the AINRC would contest the seat, claiming that it has enough MLAs to support the candidate. He pointed out that the BJP had appointed nominated MLAs without consulting him, and that he had not questioned the BJP’s move or raised any objection. Likewise he wanted the saffron party to support the AINRC’s candidate, said sources.
“We have also adjusted by giving away the CM’s post. Besides, we did not get the ministerial portfolios we asked for. Now AINRC should accept our nominee,” Namassivayam told TNIE.