Local bodies by-polls will be a litmus test for NDA

They came together for the Lok Sabha elections, promising the voters to provide an alternative to the two principal Dravidian parties. But the very survivability of the NDA in Tamil Nadu could hinge on how they deal with the local bodies by-polls.

The by-elections announced on Thursday would cover the Coimbatore, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Corporations.

However, the ranks of the NDA constituents, including those of the BJP, the MDMK, the DMDK and the PMK, are in doubt over what the strategy would be.

Sources said the BJP election committee was likely to meet in the coming week to work out a strategy. “Coimbatore is a place where the party is very strong. We finished second there, losing by a small margin, in the Lok Sabha polls. We feel we can make a significant impact, given the momentum we have,”++ a senior BJP leader told

The Hindu .

The BJP is also keen on contesting the post of Ramanathapuram municipal chairman. “The RSS has made a significant expansion there. Though our party’s performance was poor in the Lok Sabha polls, we expect good returns in the by-polls,” the leader said.

However, the BJP leaders admit there is no clarity on the arrangements to be made with the allies, though Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad made positive comments on Thursday.

A source in the DMDK said the BJP had not initiated any effort at coordination after the Lok Sabha polls. “This is a big reason for the uncertainty,” a DMDK MLA said.

Similar remarks were also made by PMK MP Anbumani Ramadoss recently. Significantly, elections will be held on September 18 for many local body posts in the northern region, where the party has a strong base.

“The time is limited. If we want to contest as an alliance, a seat-sharing deal has to be worked out quickly,” said another senior BJP leader.

Muddying the waters further for the other NDA allies was the meeting between Mr. Prasad and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday. The DMDK leader said the manner in which the BJP was dealing with the AIADMK sent confusing signals to the allies.