Puducherry pot boiling under BJP's looming shadow | Economic Times

When newly sworn-in Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy completes his Covid-19 quarantine this weekend, a padma vyuh ( lotus formation) will be awaiting him in the form of ally BJP’s ambitions to turn the Union Territory into its next major southern bastion after Karnataka. A representative of the BJP central leadership is slated to meet the CM this weekend to prod him on clearing their 'wish-list' for cabinet expansion, based on rearranged coalition equations.It seems Covid-19 proved to be a milder compared to the political storm that hit the CM even before he could celebrate his return. The speed with which BJP, and the Centre, acted –– while Rangasamy was still recuperating –– in making three local BJP leaders “nominated MLAs” (with voting rights as per the Supreme Court-upheld rule in UT) and in securing one independent MLA’s support meant BJP’s post-poll tally of six MLAs shot up to 10, bringing it at par with AINRC.It was a typical BJP ploy as witnessed in other places where it had nominal presence. First, the BJP tapped AINRC (and its ally AIADMK) to get into the Opposition pre-poll coalition in the UT. Then, it roped in some locally strong Congress MLAs and coupled with AINRC’s electoral base won six assembly seats. Rangasamy and Nitish Kumar now share a similar political dilemma in the CMs’ chair. If it took over two decades to dwarf Nitish, it's said a post-poll ‘surgical operation’ stunted Rangasamy. Faced with similar coalition predicaments, Shiv Sena had jumped the BJP ship while the Akali Dal found itself stranded mid-sea. Asked about his party’s cabinet plans, BJP ‘prabhari’ for Puducherry Nirmal Kumar Surana told ET: “The CM is back home, but is still in quarantine. I am planning to meet him around Saturday to discuss our cabinet expansion plan. The party leadership has already conveyed to him our desire to have three (of the total six) ministerial posts, including the Deputy Chief Minister’s post”.On whether the BJP is aiming for the CM’s post itself given its equal legislative strength with AINRC, Surana said: “The BJP went to election with a commitment to back Rangasamy for the post of CM. We stand by that”.That ‘stand’ notwithstanding, BJP had, post-poll, bargained with AINRC for the CM’s post. Sources said, the BJP is also “in advance talks” to secure the support of two more Independent MLAs. A worried AINRC is now scrambling to woo the remaining two Independent MLAs, with the hope of making it 12:12 than 10:12 to BJP’s advantage.The Opposition DMK(6)-Congress (2) front is alive to these post-poll machinations. “The way the BJP has cornered all three Independent MLA slots, and is seeking an equal number of ministerial posts, including a Deputy CM’s post, something which has never been there in Puducherry, clearly shows BJP’s intentions and its designs vis a vis AINRC. It is for Rangasamy to decide whether he wants to be further pushed around by the BJP or, whether he wants to reach out to the DMK-Congress alliance, seeking outside support and, if at all he does, our respective high commands may think over it. As of now, we are not involved in their coalition issues in any manner,” PCC president AV Subramanian told ET.AINRC sources indicated that the CM, as of now, is hoping for peace with the BJP amid coalition clouds, as he apparently recognises the leverage the Centre has on a UT. The Opposition knows that the BJP has taken the upper hand in dictating numbers, and therefore is concerned more about guarding its own MLAs as Rangasamy is bracing for his tryst with destiny under the BJP's looming shadow.