BJP, AINR-Congress rift may play spoilsport in Puducherry for NDA

Chennai: Even as the BJP is going full throttle to capture power in Puducherry, there is a roadblock in front of it. Former Chief minister of Puducherry, N Rangaswamy who has floated the AINR Congress, is sulking over the public statement made by the Union home minister Amit Shah that Pudcherry will have a BJP Chief minister, during a programme last week. Rangaswamy's camp is of the opinion that other than nominated legislators, BJP has yet to open an account in the state and that Shah's statement is an overambitious one and that this would do more harm than good for the party.

Rangaswamy, who was on a spiritual tour, had communicated to BJP national president JP Nadda that his party may have to contest alone given the situation. Sources in the BJP indicated that the situation is not out of control and the party is trying to patch up the differences with the powerful leader. While the saffron camp is expecting a landslide with the support of AINR congress and AIADMK, the contention of those close to Rangaswamy is that the BJP has less than 3 per cent vote share in the previous assembly elections and that the party will have to strive hard to make any dent in the state politics.

Rangaswamy wants to become the Chief minister and if the BJP national leadership agrees on this, there will not be much difficulties in forming a government. The DMK, Congress camp is also in uncertainty after the V Narayanaswamy government resigned and several legislators jumping fence.