On Sunday, the former Union Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, arrived here to campaign for R.K.R Anandaraman, nominee of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance.
This further indicates the divide within the NDA in the Union Territory.
His first stop was at Kadirkamam, the same spot where he had campaigned for Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy during the 2011 Assembly elections. This time, however, he asked the people not to vote for the All India NR Congress and back the PMK instead.
Tricky situationThe NDA is facing a tricky situation. The two candidates — Mr. Anandaraman and R. Radhakrishnan of the All India NR Congress — are contesting for the lone seat under the same alliance. While the Puducherry wing of the BJP is backing the All India NR Congress candidate, the other allies, such as the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, have sided with the PMK. Hence, there is a sort of an alliance within an alliance that would split the votes. And both the combines in the NDA are batting for Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.
Until April 9, the last day for withdrawal of nominations, negotiations went on between the All India NR Congress and the PMK to decide whether they could settle their differences and form an alliance in the Union Territory as well, but the talks fell through and both parties decided to field separate candidates, sources in the All India NR Congress said.
In the meanwhile, the other NDA allies in Tamil Nadu — Vaiko’s MDMK and Vijayakant’s DMDK — extended their support to the PMK. Only the BJP remained with the All India NR Congress.
In an interview, BJP State president S. Visweswaran asked the PMK not to use the BJP flag or the name of Mr. Modi in its campaign, but the crux of Dr. Anbumani’s speech on Sunday was that the people should vote for the PMK in order to bring Mr. Modi to power.
