States » SouthPosted at: Jun 29 2025 12:26AM


BJP faces Dalit backlash in Puducherry after Minister, 3 nominated MLAs resignation on diktat from national leadership

Chennai, June 28 (UNI) Resignation of a BJP minister, the lone Dalit in the coalition government of Chief Minister N Rangasamy in Puducherry, along with three other nominated members to the assembly, following a diktat from the saffron party’s national leadership in attempt to quell dissidence plaguing the party in the Union Territory has resulted in a Dalit backlash, besides deepening groupism.
While Mr Rangasamy, after consulting Lt Governor K Kailashnathan, informed the media about accepting the resignation of BJP Minister AK Sai J Saravanan Kumar, Speaker R Selvam accepted the resignation of the three nominated legislators - K Venkatesan, VP Ramalingam and R Ashok Babu, Chief Minister Speaker Selvam.
The Assembly Secretariat issued a notification to that effect.
But, late on Friday evening posters and protests have erupted near the BJP office in Puducherry, condemning the national leadership for being anti-Dalit.
In support of the Minister, Saravanan Kumar, many Dalit outfits have come out on the streets, claiming that with his exit there will be no Dalit representation in the Rangasamy cabinet. They
also demanded that he be made the party chief of the Union Territory.
Elected from Ossudu General Constituency, he was earlier Minister for Cooperation but was shifted
to Adi Dravidar (Dalit) and Minorities Welfare following corruption allegations.
Mr Rangasamy had Chandira Priyanka, from his All India NR Congress (AINRC) party, as Minister
for Adi Dravidar Welfare but was dropped from the cabinet.
The three legislators, belonging to the BJP, were nominated by the Union Home Ministry, immediately after the AINRC-BJP alliance swept the 2021 Assembly elections in the Union Territory, a former French enclave.
In the coalition Government, the BJP had two ministerial berths besides the post of Speaker.
Contrary to the BJPs expectations that sharing power will help the growth of the party, it had only given rise to dissidence with those kept out, demanding minsters post on rotation and chairmanships in various Boards.
They started acting independently by staying away from party events after the defeat of the party candidate A Namasivayam, a minister, in the 2024 LS poll.
They also allegedly teamed up with lottery magnate Santiago Martin’s son, Jose Charles, and organised functions to distribute welfare assistance. They even planned grand celebration for
Charles’ birthday in Puducherry, rattling the national leadership.
Now, with all the nominated MLAs having resigned the Union Home Ministry will issue an order, nominating their replacements, party sources said.
To offset the disenchantment among Dalits, the BJP national leadership might give a representation to a Dalit as well as a member from the Karaikal region of the Union Territory, the sources maintained adding that the order might be issued anytime soon so that the new nominees could be sworn in early next week.
While the BJP leadership is in a huddle to find a replacement for Saravanan Kumar in the cabinet
and to elect a new president, sources said he remains a front runner for the post of Puducherry unit chief.
The nomination for the election would commence tomorrow.
UNI MCR GV
Tags: #BJP faces Dalit backlash in Puducherry after Minister# 3 nominated MLAs resignation on diktat from national leadership
More News

Hyd: PVNR’s steps opened new economic global markets growth for country: Jwala

29 Jun 2025 | 1:31 AM

Hyderabad, June 28 (UNI) V. Jwala Narasimha Rao, Senior faculty (Retired), Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute, Hyderabad (Dr. MCHRD), said that P.V. Narasimha Rao’s tenure as Prime Minister saw significant steps taken to open global markets in a new era of economic growth.

see more..

PJR flyover inaugurated in Gachibowli: CM Revanth vows transformational urban development for Hyderabad

29 Jun 2025 | 1:22 AM

Hyderabad, June 28 (UNI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy this evening inaugurated the PJR flyover at Gachibowli, marking a major addition to the city’s urban infrastructure.

see more..

Rallying ‘TN under one banner’ to deny political space for communal forces, traitors playing second fiddle: MK Stalin

29 Jun 2025 | 1:15 AM

Chennai, June 28 (UNI) Galvanising the ruling DMK’s well-oiled election machinery to retain power in the 2026 assembly poll, Chief Minister and party president M K Stalin today said the Dravidian major’s ‘Oraniyil Tamil Nadu’ (TN under one banner) campaign, to be launched from July one with an ambitious target of enrolling two crore membership, is aimed at denying any political space to communal forces and their stooges.

see more..

Rallying ‘TN under one banner’ to deny political space for communal forces, traitors playing second fiddle: M K Stalin

29 Jun 2025 | 12:51 AM

Chennai, June 28 (UNI) Galvanising the ruling DMK’s well-oiled election machinery to retain power in the 2026 assembly poll, Chief Minister and party president M K Stalin today said the Dravidian major’s ‘Oraniyil Tamil Nadu’ (TN under one banner) campaign being launched from July one with an ambitious target of enrolling two crore membership, is aimed at denying any political space to communal forces and their stooges.

see more..

BJP faces Dalit backlash in Puducherry after Minister, 3 nominated MLAs resignation on diktat from national leadership

29 Jun 2025 | 12:26 AM

Chennai, June 28 (UNI) Resignation of a BJP minister, the lone Dalit in the coalition government of Chief Minister N Rangasamy in Puducherry, along with three other nominated members to the assembly, following a diktat from the saffron party’s national leadership in attempt to quell dissidence plaguing the party in the Union Territory has resulted in a Dalit backlash, besides deepening groupism.

see more..