‘Wanted’: Heavyweights for Congress in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: Congress was always known to be a top-heavy party, with intense infighting being witnessed for seats in elections. This time around in Puducherry, the grand old party is desperate enough to hang a “wanted” board outside its office, for most of its popular leaders have jumped ship. Analysts say Congress might end up doing what it did the last time around — give a red-carpet welcome to Opposition’s candidates who fail to get tickets.

Among the prominent MLAs who ditched the Congress for the BJP and its allies are former PWD minister P Namassivayam, A John Kumar, E Theepainthan, and K Lakshminarayan, who’s slated to join the NR Congress. Even VP Sivakozhunthu, who stepped down as Speaker on Sunday, is a confidante of the BJP. His brother and son have joined the party. The Congress’ ally DMK could solve the problem in certain constituencies but not all. 

The Opposition is also facing a crisis of equal measure. Now, it has too many leaders, but only a certain number of constituencies. Worried about getting a sufficient number, NR Congress leader N Rangasamy has left on a spiritual tour, even while mulling the possibility of leaving the alliance and contesting alone.

Can dmk bridge the deficit in congress in pondy?

As the political tables turned just before the elections, the BJP grew in power overnight, and the Congress is grossly unprepared to fill the void left by its turncoat MLAs. This is largely because the Congress had left individual MLAs to nurture their constituencies without grooming second-rung leaders to take up the mantle. The party is now struggling to find candidates who could win the seats vacated by the MLAs. PCC president AV Subramanian earlier said the Congress is willing to give DMK the seats it seeks, in places where the latter has candidates with a good chance of winning.

However, in several constituencies, such as Villianur (vacated by Namassivayam), Lawspet (Sivakozhunthu), Kamaraj Nagar and Nellithope (both strongholds of John Kumar), the Congress may face difficulties. Despite all this, the party is putting up a brave face, saying only people who seek to contest will be considered for tickets.