The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had declared February 2016 that it would contest all 30 seats in Puducherry is now unsure about its participation, MLA Somnath Bharti told International Business Times, India Wednesday. Earlier reports quoted Bharti as saying that the AAP would not be contesting in Puducherry.
The AAP would replicate the reforms it has done in Delhi for Puducherry, Bharti — who is in charge of party activities in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puduchery — was quoted as saying by the Hindu in February when announcing that the party would fight the Assembly Elections scheduled in May. However, the Hindu quoted Bharti saying Wednesday that the party lost crucial campaigning time due to floods in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
"We have not decided if we want to contest in Puducherry yet," Bharti told IBTimes India Wednesday.
Puducherry, a Union Territory (UT), has 9,27,034 voters. Among the 30 seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Castes. The UT is governed by All India N R Congress (AINRC), a breakaway party from the Indian National Congress.
"In Puducherry, Aam Aadmi Party will provide good governance, education, health and better facilities to farmers, students and others," AAP leader Ashutosh was quoted as saying by the Hindu in October 2015. People are geared up to throw away the AINRC and want a corruption-free government, he had said.
Meanwhile, Bharti, the man overseeing AAP campaigning in the south, was chargesheeted for attempt to murder of his wife Wednesday, the Hindustan Times reported.
The Delhi-based party has time till April 29, 2016 to file nominations for the Puducherry Assembly elections that will be held May 16.
