PUDUCHERRY: The AIADMK has started groundwork for forming a strong alliance to take on the Congress-DMK alliance in the Union Territory in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Two AIADMK MPs — propaganda secretary M Thambidurai and organising secretary S Semmalai — who are in charge of Puducherry have arrived here from the party headquarters in Chennai to hold discussions with the allies. On Sunday, they met leader of the CPI and CPM at the party office and also called on former chief minister N Rangasamy at his Thilaspet residence.
The AIADMK’s stint as the ruling party in the Union Territory was a brief one. In 1974, the party was in power from March 6 to 27. The next stint was from July 2, 1977, to November 11, 1978, under the leadership of S Ramasamy. But that does not mean much in the new scenario.
“Our chances of coming to power are bright,” Thambidurai told reporters at the party office on Sunday. Rangasamy’s resignation from the Congress has much to do with this remark as the AIADMK might be looking to forge an alliance once Rangasamy floats his new party. On the other hand, Rangasamy has emerged as people’s leader, especially in the constituencies of Kadirkamam, Indira Nagar, Thattanchavady and Lawspet. Also many youth leaders in these constituencies have pledged support to Rangasamy, besides heavyweights like former minister P Rajavelu. All these factors would help the AIADMK, if they could bring the former Congress leader as an alliance partner.
Then there are the Left parties. Though the CPM is yet to win a seat to the Territorial Assembly so far, they have political support from trade unions in various constituencies. The CPI is slightly better off with one elected MLA — R Viswanathan from Reddiarpalayam constituency — who won the last election as part of a mega alliance with the Congress, DMK and PMK. Unfortunately, the Reddiarpalayam constituency no longer exists and Viswanathan is nurturing the Kamaraj Nagar constituency. Incidentally, Chief Minister V Vaithilingam is also taking care of Kamaraj Nagar after his Nettapakkam constituency became a reserved one following delimitation.
The AIADMK won three seats in an alliance with Kannan’s Puducherry Munnetra Congress (PMC) and MDMK in the last elections. This time, its chances are bright in two of them — Uppalam and Nellithope. But the Kotucherry constituency from where AIADMK member Omalingam won the last elections no longer exists, which is a disadvantage.
It is likely that the AIADMK, MDMK, CPI, CPM and Rangasamy’s yet-to-be floated party will be together, though nothing concrete has emerged so far. Wait is on for the DMDK’s entry as well. In the last Assembly elections, the party has shown its strength in Karaikal when Leader of Opposition A M H Nazeem of the DMK could win the seat only by a very narrow margin of 42 votes from DMDK’s Assanah.
The AIADMK would make its moves after considering all these scenarios. The big question, however, is whether the AIADMK would announce Rangasamy as chief ministerial candidate if it forges an alliance with his party. The AIADMK had entered into an alliance with the PMC in the last elections, but did not announce P Kannan as the chief ministerial candidate.
But, Rangasamy is not likely to settle for anything less. While the Left parties may have no problem in accepting him as chief minister, the question is whether AIADMK could do the same. Speculations are rife that the AIADMK might ask Rangasamy to join the party if he wanted to be projected as the chief ministerial candidate. On the other hand, chances are slim that the former chief minister would join hands with the AIADMK if he is not projected as the next chief minister.
AIADMK’s political observers also preferred to remain silent in this regard. “The decision on chief ministerial candidate and seat sharing will be taken by our leader Jayalalithaa at a later stage,” said Thambidurai.
“We are just assessing the political situation in constituencies, the chances of winning, strengths and also weaknesses,” the propaganda secretary added.
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