Decision to go it alone prompted by AINRC’s lack of response: BJP

The failure of the ruling All India NR Congress to provide an affirmation on a poll alliance, has forced the Bharathiya Janata party (BJP) which was its alliance partner since the Lok Sabha poll, to go it alone in the forthcoming Assembly polls in Union Territory of Puducherry, Mahesh Giri, national secretary of the BJP and MP, said on Friday.

Candidates introduced

Formally introducing the candidates to the media on Friday here, Mr. Giri, who is in charge of Puducherry, said the ruling AINRC has not taken any decision and hence based on views of party cadres, the BJP has now decided to go it alone in the polls.

“We cannot drag our feet further,” he said.

However, he said that the doors are open for alliance and added that the party decided to go alone since many parties and candidates started ground works in the Union Territory.

16 constituencies

Based on the inputs from the local unit only, the party decided to field candidates to sixteen constituencies.

He said that the next list of names of candidates for the remaining 14 seats would be released soon.

It may be recalled that the ruling AINRC, in alliance with BJP, had fielded R. Radhakrishanan as the candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and won by a huge margin.

Nominated MLA

Later, the AINRC allotted a nominated MLA post to BJP’s leader M. Visweswaran.

However, the AINRC fielded its nominee N. Gokulakrishnan as an AIADMK candidate as part of a deal for Rajya Sabha polls in last October.

The the seat fell vacant following the expiry of the term of P. Kannan, overlooking the BJP local unit’s plea for the seat.

Rangasamy silent

Even though BJP leaders expressed their desire to ally with AINRC for the Assembly elections, the party president and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy has been maintaining silence over the alliance formation. Under these circumstances , the BJP Central Committee on Thursday released the first list of candidates for sixteen constituencies in the UT.

Chief Minister Rangasamy has been maintaining silence over alliance formation