This story is from November 2, 2016

PWF comes apart in Pondy, CPM breaks ranks with VCK

The differences in the PWF are out in the open with the CPM refusing to toe the line of the VCK leadership in supporting Congress in the Puducherry byelection.
PWF comes apart in Pondy, CPM breaks ranks with VCK
Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy.
CHENNAI/PUDUCHERRY: The differences in the PWF are out in the open with the CPM refusing to toe the line of the VCK leadership in supporting Congress in the Puducherry byelection.
The Left party on Tuesday announced it would not support the national party or the AIADMK in a closely watched bypoll at Nellithoppu that will decide the electoral prospects of chief minister V Narayanasamy.
The November 19 bypoll is crucial for the Congress to get the CM elected in the 30member Puducherry legislature.
The Congress won 15 seats and its principal ally DMK two in the House. The rest are with the opposition.The AIADMK has fielded former legislator Om Sakthi Sekar against 69-year-old Narayanasamy, handpicked by the Congress high command after the May election to be chif minister. Also, several MLAs are his supporters. In what could bolster the Congress-DMK combine, the VCK on Monday extended support to the former Union minister to protect the “secular fabric“ of Puducherry.
In contrast, CPM central committee member and Puducherry incharge K Balakrishnan said it was a poll forced upon the people by the Congress. Congress MLA A John Kumar vacated the seat to pave the way for Narayanasamy to get elected. “We cannot support the Congress,“ the Left leader said, alleging that neo-liberal policies of the Congress-led UPA government had ruined the country, and the allround development of Puducherry took a beating. The CPM did attempt to arrive at a consensus among PWF allies to field a common candidate, he said.
Incidentally, the CPM leaders told their local VCK counterparts to decide on their own, when the latter sought to know their views on the VCK supporting the Congress. For the VCK, it is its “prerogative“ to decide on Puducherry, as it is a separate entity. “The move to protect the secular fabric of the Union territory, when the Right wing is making all endeavours to gain some foot hold, is a dire necessity,“ VCK general secretary D Ravikumar said, rejecting any dissent in the PWF camp.
The dalit party hopes Narayanasamy will be able to take the Union territory to a high growth trajectory and maintain law and order, which has deteriorated in the last few years.
Though speculation was rife that the PMK would field its Puducherry secretary Gopalakrishnan, the party decided to boycott the polls on Tuesday . The party's general body , convened on Monday , charged that the bypoll would not be held in a free and fair manner. Narayanasamy , who was undertaking a door-to-door campaign in the constituency , told reporters that DMK leader M K Stalin would campaign on November 13, besides former TNCC chiefs EVKS Elangovan, K V Thangkabalu, and actor Khushbu.
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