‘NR Cong may be merged with BJP’

But it is going alone for election campaign. The party is for statehood for Puducherry and the BJP in its election manifesto had made it clear that statehood will not be granted for Puducherry. As such, will Rangaswamy will fight against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, he asked.

Narayanasamy said the BJP-led NDA government had stripped the powers of the elected government in Delhi and handed it over to Lt Governor and the same thing will happen in Puducherry also.

The BJP will control the NR Congress and it could not function freely if it come to power, the former Chief Minister claimed. He said if the BJP alliance come to power in the UT, Puducherry will lose its separate identity and culture and people from other states will be appointed in government posts.