Alliance or not: The Tamil Nadu factor in Puducherry Assembly polls

Political leaders feel alliances in Tamil Nadu are binding in Puducherry as well, and that is both a blessing and a bane

All eyes are on Tamil Nadu which goes to the polls in April-May next year. But its next door neighbour, the Union Territory of Puducherry, a tiny yet significant chapter in south Indian politics, is too gearing up for elections.

 

In prep, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been the first off the start line. Last week, the party appointed Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya as election in-charge and Arjun Ram Meghwal as co-in-charge to manage the Assembly poll. The BJP with 6 seats in the 33-member Assembly (three MLAs are nominated by the Centre per a law dating back to