Puducherry’s Assembly election has thrown up an unusual situation, with the DMK and Congress facing each other directly in five constituencies—Thirubhuvanai, Mangalam, Nellithope, Raj Bhavan and Kalapet.
The election is being fought mainly between the NDA alliance comprising NR Congress, BJP and AIADMK, and the INDIA alliance comprising Congress, DMK, Left parties and VCK. Seat-sharing talks within the INDIA bloc continued until the last day for filing nominations, after which the parties announced a split of 16 seats for Congress and 14 for the DMK out of the 30 constituencies.
However, the arrangement has been strained by disagreements. The DMK allotted the Ozhukarai seat to the VCK, but VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan refused and announced the party would contest alone in Oussudu, Nettapakkam and Ozhukarai.
The CPI(M) has also entered the fray independently in four seats—Muthialpet, Bahour, Thirubhuvanai and Lawspet—after it was not allotted constituencies, while CPI candidates have filed nominations in Thattanchavady and Ozhukarai.
With Congress nominations accepted in the five seats earmarked for the DMK, the two allies are now locked in direct contests there. Senior leaders from both parties are attempting to persuade candidates to withdraw in seats allotted to alliance partners, but candidates have begun campaigning, and party sources warn the confusion could worsen if it is not resolved by the withdrawal deadline on March 26.
