PUDUCHERRY: The DMK unit in the Union Territory is preparing for the next Puducherry Assembly election with a plan to contest all 30 constituencies, and has reportedly readied a list of potential candidates.
In the 2021 Assembly election, the Congress led the alliance that included the DMK and other parties. Seat-sharing then saw Congress contest 15 seats and the DMK 13, while the CPI and VCK contested one seat each. The Congress won only two seats, while the DMK won six and secured the status of the principal opposition.
Since then, differences have emerged between the Congress and the DMK over who should lead the alliance. Both parties have been working for about a year across the 22 constituencies other than their sitting seats (Congress 2, DMK 6), as each seeks a larger share in the next election.
With seat-sharing talks between the two parties in Tamil Nadu’s INDIA alliance facing delays, questions have been raised about whether the alliance will continue. Against this backdrop, the Puducherry DMK has shortlisted two prospective candidates per constituency, keeping options open depending on whether an alliance with Congress continues or it contests under its own leadership with parties such as the CPI and VCK.
