Image: PTI
It has barely been a day and media circles are abuzz with speculation that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may lay claim to the post of Chief Minister of Puducherry. However, the BJP has won 6 seats only, and it is the All India NR Congress that has won t10 seats in the Union Territory.
The All India N.R. Congress was founded by former Chief Minister of Puducherry, N Rangaswamy in 2011, after he broke away from the Indian National Congress. While it is a given that the AINRC-BJP alliance is set to form the next government in Puducherry but now a fresh political scene may play out when it comes to decide the next Chief Minister of the UT.
The DMK won six seats, Indian National Congress won six seats, and there were six Independent candidates who also won, while AIADMK drew a blank in the Puducherry election. Puducherry was under President’s Rule after the collapse of the V Narayanasamy-led Congress government.
With just 6 MLA’s the #BJP wants Chief Minister post in #Puducherry.
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) May 3, 2021
The Puducherry Assembly results were the one bright spot for the Bharatiya Janata Party which till now did not have a footprint in the UT. The AINRC had contested in 16 seats, BJP was given nine seats to contest. The UT has an electorate of 10.03 lakh, and a total of 30 Assembly Seats, and also has three nominated seats. The party was congratulated by a jubilant Prime Minister himself: “I thank the people of Puducherry for blessing NDA…”
I thank the people of Puducherry for blessing NDA. We are humbled to serve the people and fulfil their dreams. Our Karyakartas made outstanding efforts to work among the people and elaborate on our agenda of good governance.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 2, 2021
According to news reports around 1,382 personnel were deployed for counting of votes in Puducherry and over 400 police personnel were on security duties. The UT has 30 constituencies and had cast its vote on April 6 and recorded a voter turnout of nearly 82 per cent. According to news reports there were around 324 candidates into the poll fray. Though it was the All India NR Congress (AINRC)-led NDA and the Congress-led Secular Democratic alliance who were the key contenders. The AINRC fielded 16 candidates, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had nine, and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) had five seats.
The List of Winners, as shared by NDTV:
Ariankuppam – Datchanamourtt (NRC)
Bahour – R Senthilkumar (DMK)
Embalam – U Lakshmikandhan (NRC)
Indira Nagar – V Aroumougame (NRC)
Kadirgamam – S Ramesh (NRC)
Kalapet – M L Kalyanasundaram (BJP)
Kamaraj Nagar – A Johnkumar (BJP)
Karaikal – PRN Thirumurugan (NRC)
Karaikal South – AMH Nazim (DMK)
Lawspet – M Vaithianathan (Congress)
Mahe – Ramesan Parambath (Congress)
Manavely – R Selvam (BJP)
Mangalam – Djeacoumar C (NRC)
Mannadipet – A Namassivayam (BJP)
Mudaliarpet – L Sambath (DMK)
Muthialpet – J Prakash Kumar (IND)
Nedungadu – Chandirapriyanga (NRC)
Nellithope – J Vivilian Richards (BJP)
Neravy-T.R.Pattinam – Nagathiyagarajan (DMK)
Nettapakkam – P Rajavelu (NRC)
Orleampeth – G Nehru Kuppusamy (IND)
Oupalam – Annibal Kennedy (DMK)
Oussudu – AK Sai J Saravanan Kumar (BJP)
Ozhukarai – M Sivasankar (IND)
Raj Bhavan – K Lakshminarayanan (NRC)
Thattanchavady – N Rangaswamy (NRC)
Thirubhuvanai – P Angalane (IND)
Thirunallar – PR Siva (IND)
Villianur – R Siva (DMK)
Yanam – Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok (IND-Congress)
It was the tide of defections that had led to the fall of the Narayanasamy-led Government in February. It is the same group that has contributed to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) win in the UT. However, the win is not the end, it is the beginning of perhaps yet another fragile political alliance which the next Chief Minister of the UT will have to keep intact for the next five years.
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