By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Out of the election bound four states and one UT – Assam and Puducherry – are the only two, that are ruled by NDA, where BJP is very active in making the alliance stronger by trying to induct other political parties or their leaders into the alliance or into the BJP. Many from the opposition rank joined NDA and BJP that make them stronger, but some significant desertions have also created new troubles for BJP leadership both in Assam and Puducherry, going to poll on April 9.
In a significant development, UPPL has left NDA, on March 17 over seat sharing dispute and has announced to contest election alone, and is going to field its candidates across Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and beyond. The importance of this desertion is important because Bodoland is considered a kingmaker region and the political wind blowing in the region also impacts the electoral momentum across Assam. UPPL has been BJP’s key partner in the NDA since 2020, and had won 6 seats in 2021 election, making the total tally of NDA to 75 in a Vidhan Sabah of 126 seats.
BJP has tried to compensate it by taking Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) into NDA fold. It is worth mentioning that BPF was part of Mahajot, which is INDIA bloc at the national level. The party had lost 8 seats in the 2021 election and could win only 4 seats. It is believed that BPF, with its declining support base, has joined NDA to revive itself, and it is still doubtful how much this will adversely impact the INDIA bloc, or how much it could help the BJP. NDA has now three political parties – BJP, AGP, and BPF.
In November 2025, Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASM) was revived when 8 political partied joined hands to form the alliance against the BJP and NDA. Recently in the current month itself, another party called Raijor Dal left the ASM, that is INDIA bloc. Thus, the ASM has now six political parties – Congress, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference, CPI(ML)L and JMM.
Other political parties in the fray are AIUDF, TMC, CPI, AAP, and NPP. It should be noted that AAP has shown rise in the urban areas, and after the AAP leadership were discharged in the Delhi Liquor Scam Case by CBI Special Court, the morale of party’s rank and file in Assam has been boosted up. AAP has declared to contest 20 seats so far. AIUDF has also very strong base in certain pockets, and it has declared to contest 21 seats so far.
Major gain for the BJP is defection from other political parties. A senior Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi has deserted Congress and joined BJP, and the BJP has also given him ticket. Former Assam Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah has also quit Congress and joined BJP, which is considered by many a seismic shift in state politics. Earlier this month, three sitting or suspended congress MLAs have joined BJP. It does suggest structural weakening of the Congress. Signals of further defections are there form other parties too, such as from AIUDF to BJP. Recently during, Rajya Sabha election, three AIUDF MLAs has supported NDA candidate contesting from UPPL, that has now deserted NDA. AIUDF has suspended its two MLAs supporting NDA candidate.
Some present or former BJP leaders have also shifted their loyalties and joined Congress in earlier phases of changing parties. However, the scale is much lower than the Congress politicians joining BJP.
As for the UT Puducherry, the Chief Minister N Rangaswamy’s All India NR Congress is giving signs of going out of the NDA. NR Congress had won 10 seats out of 30 in 2021 elections while the BJP had won 6 seats. BJP has now decided to take newly floated Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) led by Jose Charles Martin into NDA, which CM Rangaswamy is resisting. If BJP does not drop LJK from NDA, NR Congress is most likely to desert the NDA.
It should be noted that Jose Charles Marti in the eldest son of the lottery king Santiago Martin. It was only on March 17, CM Rangaswamy had boycotted a meeting of NDA convened by BJP on seat sharing. He also announced a candidate of his party without waiting for seat sharing deal with BJP.
Traditionally, elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are held on the same day but this year it is being conducted on different dates, triggering speculations of hidden agenda of the BJP to be carried out by the Election Commission of India. Puducherry will go to polls on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will go to s poll on April 23. “We suspect a hidden agenda behind holding elections for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on different days,” former Union Minister V Narayanasamy said.
Deadlock in DMK-Congress seat sharing talk continues. There are big differences between the parties – DMK wants to contest on 18 seats and the Congress on 20 seats. It should be worth noting that Congress had won only 2 seats in 2021 while DMK had won 6 seats only.
NDA in Puducherry has five political parties as of now – AINRC, BJP, AIADMK, PMK, and LJK. The parties in Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) are – DMK, Congress, CPI(M), CPI, and VCK. Other important political parties in the fray are NMK and TVK. (IPA Service)
