PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy and BJP leaders failed to reach any consensus regarding the Rajya Sabha nominee even after holding talks on Sunday.
The leaders — legislature wing leader A Namassivayam and State BJP president V Saminathan — met the chief minister at his residence.
Both the NDA allies — AINRC and BJP — continued remaining hell-bent on contesting the lone RS seat in Puducherry on October 4.
Though the BJP MLAs on Friday adopted a resolution on contesting the election and submitted its copy to Rangasamy seeking the support of its allies, the latter is yet to respond.
When asked about the outcome of the meeting, Namassivayam said as the BJP was yet to get a reply from the chief minister, the party high command directed him and Saminathan to meet Rangasamy.
The chief minister has been insisting on his party nominee contesting the seat citing he accepted BJP’s decision when it appointed nominated MLAs without consulting him, Namassivayam told TNIE.
When the BJP leaders did not agree with him, Rangasamy told them he will directly talk to the BJP high command, added Namassivayam.
The chief minister’s choice seems to be the former health minister, Malladi Krishna Rao, who has the reputation of drawing funds from the Centre for the UT.
However, a BJP candidate will be good for Puducherry as he will have a better liaison with the Centre, he claimed.
Meanwhile, Namassivayam left for Delhi on Sunday to meet the party’s national leaders to discuss the issue.
“I will call on BJP President J P Nadda, Organiser B L Santhosh, and Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard,” Namassivayam told TNIE.
He would also be participating in the meeting convened by Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Anurag Thakur on September 20.
AIADMK seeks to contest seat
AIADMK, another ally of the NDA, sought to contest the lone RS seat.
Puducherry East AIADMK Secretary Anbalagan urged the chief minister to organise a consultative meeting of the allies — AINRC, BJP and AIADMK — and offer the seat to AIADMK.
He said in the absence of representation of the AIADMK in the Legislative Assembly, the post should be granted to the AIADMK on the basis of “coalition dharma.”
The AIADMK confirmed to be a part of the alliance despite the low number of seats allotted to the party. However, none from the party was chosen to be one of the three nominated legislators, appointed after assuming power.
N Gokulakrishnan of the AIADMK is a member of the Rajya Sabha but he will complete his tenure and an election will be held for that post.
Hence, in the absence of a representation of the AIADMK in the Assembly, the AIADMK should be given the post, said Anbalagan.