Cracks have emerged within the NDA alliance in Puducherry ahead of the upcoming elections, with the ruling N R Congress placing fresh demands before its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, complicating what was seen as a settled electoral arrangement.
At the heart of the tension is NR Congress' insistence on a clear assurance from either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah on granting full statehood to Puducherry - a long-pending demand that has gained renewed political urgency in the run-up to the polls.
Adding to the friction, the party has strongly objected to the inclusion of the Latchiya Dravida Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), led by Charles Martin, in the NDA fold. LJK is headed by the son of lottery baron Martin, a factor that NR Congress leaders say is politically unacceptable.
A senior NR Congress source in the Union Territory's cabinet told NDTV that the party has formally conveyed its concerns to the BJP's central leadership.
"We have communicated this to the BJP's seat-sharing team led by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Our five-member delegation made our position very clear," the source said.
Explaining their opposition to Charles Martin's entry, the source added, "He has nothing to do with Puducherry. We cannot allow this." Within political circles, LJK is often perceived as a "B-team" of the BJP - a claim that Charles Martin has denied in a recent interaction with NDTV, asserting that he was once part of the BJP but later exited the party.
The developments come just days after the BJP and NR Congress finalised a seat-sharing agreement, under which the NR Congress would contest 16 seats and the BJP 14 in the 30-member assembly, which also has provision for three nominated MLAs.
Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who heads the NR Congress, had also shared the stage with both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at recent political events, signalling apparent unity within the alliance until now.
The current Assembly strength adds to the electoral stakes - NR Congress holds 10 seats, BJP 6, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 6, Indian National Congress 2, and Independents 3.
With the NR Congress making it clear that the "ball is now in BJP's court," the alliance faces a critical test of cohesion. The BJP's Puducherry unit has so far remained silent on the issue, even as the standoff threatens to cast a shadow over the NDA's electoral prospects in the Union Territory.
