JOIN USAssembly Election Results 2021: NR Congress-BJP alliance trounces Cong-DMK in Puducherry
All India N R Congress-BJP alliance was on the course to form the government in the tiny Union Territory of Puducherry by trouncing the Congress-DMK combine.
The BJP, which did not have any base in the UT till a few months ago, won or was leading in six of the nine seats it contested, and will for the first time be part of the ministry.
The development in Puducherry is a big leap for the BJP which has set its eyes on south India – Puducherry will join the league of Karnataka where the saffron party is ruling.
At the time of going to press, the AINRC had won 10 seats, while the BJP had won 5 seats and was leading in one. However, AIADMK which contested in five seats bit the dust. Of the total 30 seats, independents had won in four and were leading in two more seats.
With this, the AINRC-BJP alliance has a simple majority in the Assembly, and with the support of independents, there will not be any problem. If one takes into account the three members who can be appointed by the Union Home Ministry, the BJP’s strength in the Assembly would go up to 9, and the House strength to 33.
In all probability, AINRC chief N Rangasamy will be the chief minister of Puducherry, after a gap of five years – this will be his fourth term – unless the BJP has other plans. Rangasamy, who contested from two constituencies, lost to an independent candidate in Yanam, but won Thattanchavady constituency by a margin of 5,456 votes.
The Congress, which has ruled the UT for five years from 2016 to February 2021 when its government lost majority, was reduced to just 2 seats, while its ally DMK bettered its 2016 performance to settle at 6 seats.
Congress’s humiliation was complete when its state unit chief A V Subramanian lost from Karaikal (North) by 134 seats.
Former Congress leaders A Namassivayam, A John Kumar, and his son Richards Johnkumar won seats on BJP tickets – this is the first time that the Puducherry Assembly will have elected BJP members.
However, Puducherry BJP chief V Saminathan lost to Congress candidate M Vaithianathan in Lawspet.
Saminathan was appointed to the Assembly in 2017 along with two of his party colleagues. Though they are nominated by the Centre, the L-G chose to consider them as BJP members.