Puducherry political crisis: BJP says won't form govt at this stage; Congress says saffron party 'kills democracy again'

The collapse of the V Narayanasamy-led government in Puducherry led to a war of words over Rahul Gandhi's leadership of the Congress party and the BJP's 'corrupt politics'.

The BJP's Puducherry unit also made the party's next course of action clear in the aftermath of Narayanasamy's resignation. An article in Hindustan Times quoted the saffron party's Puducherry chief as saying, "We will not try and form a government at this stage. With the people’s blessings in the forthcoming elections and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji’s leadership, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will form a government with BJP and its alliance partners All India NR Congress and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in May and build a new bright future for the people of Puducherry."

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Meanwhile, BJP leaders took jibes at Rahul Gandhi over the developments in Puducherry. The party' IT cell chief Amit Malviya said on Twitter, "Rahul Gandhi went to Puducherry and true to his midas touch, Congress loses its government in the UT...After Congress lost its government in Puducherry, its presence has shrunk to just 3 states - Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In Jharkhand and Maharashtra, it is as good as on the margin. It’s just a matter of time before Rahul Gandhi achieves, which no other Gandhi has."

In a similar vein, political analyst Shehzad Poonawala remarked —

Rahul Gandhi goes to Puducherry on 17th Feb

Puducherry govt falls today

Ok then ! https://t.co/jVOnj4EBke

— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) February 22, 2021

In response, Gaurav Pandhi, the Congress' National Co-ordinator for Social Media, remarked —

To begin with Puducherry is a 'Union Territory' @amitmalviya, not state.

Secondly, people of Puducherry can see through BJP's corrupt politics of felling Govts using muscle & money very clearly and will repose their faith in Congress, with greater majority, in the upcoming polls pic.twitter.com/ScO4msXWcb

— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) February 22, 2021

Rahul Gandhi had visited Puducherry last week to kickstart the Congress' poll campaign.

Reacting to the collapse of the Puducherry government, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said —

What BJP is doing is only undermining democracy in the country. The people are watching what tactics BJP is adopting & the party will be taught a lesson by electorates in the next elections in #Puducherry.
3/3

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) February 22, 2021

Dinesh Gundu Rao, the Congress' in-charge for Puducherry said —

.⁦@BJP4India⁩ kills democracy again.

Using ED, IT & other agencies, spending crores of rupees they have toppled an elected govt.@INCIndia⁩ will go to the people, the people of #Puducherry will give a befitting reply in the elections.https://t.co/9qxKa27ie3

— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) February 22, 2021

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy submitted his resignation to Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan after walking out of the Assembly in protest ahead of the trust vote.

After submitting his resignation, Narayansamy slammed the BJP, AIADMK and the AINRC. " This is murder of democracy." ANI quoted him as saying.

He further said, "A government elected by the people has been toppled by the BJP, NR Congress and the AIADMK. In the coming elections, the people of Puducherry will teach the Opposition parties a lesson."