The decision of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) to go solo in the Assembly elections in Puducherry will hamper the prospects of the BJP-AIADMK- AINRC combine in the Union Territory.
The AIADMK-BJP combine had announced that it will contest the April 6 Assembly elections in alliance with the All India NR Congress (AINRC) led by former Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy. While AINRC will contest 16 seats, the BJP-AIADMK combine will fight elections in 14 seats.
The decision has infuriated the PMK, which enjoys sizable support among the powerful Vanniyar community, which behaves and acts like a cadre-based party.
PMK state convenor and senior leader K. Dhunaraju told IANS, “We were kept in the dark when secret parleys were taking place between the AIADMK, AINRC and BJP. I had sent a letter to the BJP in-charge of Puducherry, Nirmal Kumar Surana, for allotting five seats to PMK but it was not considered. Hence we have decided to fight in all the 30 seats alone.”
The decision of the PMK will definitely affect the prospects of the AIADMK-AINRC-BJP combine as the PMK has strength in all the constituencies of Puducherrry. While the PMK may not be able to win seats for itself, the splitting of votes may jeopardise the prospects of the AIADMK-AINRC-BJP combine.
A senior BJP leader told IANS on conditions of anonymity, “Our leadership should have accommodated the PMK and should have provided them at least three seats which would have helped our alliance sweep the elections. The PMK can become a spoil-sport even though it could not garner much votes in the 2016 Assembly elections.”
However, sources in the BJP said that the party is initiating talks with the PMK leadership in Chennai regarding the Puducherry fiasco and would amicably find a solution to the crisis.