Former MLA to be elected Puducherry BJP chief unopposed on June 30

Puducherry: The BJP in Puducherry will get a new president, with former nominated MLA V P Ramalingam set to be declared elected on June 30, sources said.

Ramalingam was the only candidate to file a nomination for the post on Sunday. With no other contenders, he is set to be elected unopposed to lead the party, which is a coalition partner in the AINRC-led government.

The 63-year-old began his political career with the Congress before joining the BJP in 2021, when the party became an alliance partner in the N Rangasamy-led government.

Ramalingam was among the three BJP members nominated to the Puducherry Assembly, along with K Venkatesan and R B Ashok Babu.

All three resigned from the Assembly on June 27, following directions from the BJP high command.

A businessman and realtor by profession, Ramalingam holds a diploma in a technical discipline. His elder brother, V P Sivakolundhu, is a senior Congress leader and served as Speaker in the previous V Narayanasamy-led Congress government.

Ramalingam will succeed S Selvaganapathy as the BJP's Puducherry unit president.

He filed his nomination before the party's returning officer, Akilan, accompanied by Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam and former Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister A K Sai J Saravanan Kumar.

Political developments have been unfolding rapidly in Puducherry, following Saravanan Kumar's resignation from the Cabinet on June 27. His resignation has been accepted, and a replacement will be decided after consultations with the BJP central leadership, party sources said.

The BJP's Puducherry unit has also recommended three names to the high command to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of the three nominated MLAs.