At a rally in Puducherry, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is presenting a united front in contrast to a fragmented opposition, which he described as embroiled in power struggles. Shah noted that the NDA government has reduced the unemployment rate in Puducherry to 4.3%, a significant drop from 47% attributed to the previous mismanagement by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Congress parties. In a separate rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the current government, asserting that it does not reflect the will of the people of Puducherry and reaffirmed the Congress party's commitment to granting full statehood to the territory. The political landscape is further complicated by internal disputes within the opposition alliance, with reports of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) exiting the INDIA bloc, and DMK and Congress contesting against each other in five seats. The upcoming elections on April 9 are anticipated to be fiercely competitive.