PUDUCHERRY: Springing a surprise, the Congress list released on Tuesday did not name two heavyweights former Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and deputy Speaker MNR Bhalan. Bhalan’s Oulgaret constituency has been allotted to VCK this time. Former revenue Minister MOHF Shajahan will be contesting from Kamaraj Nagar as he has shifted from Kalapet. He will take on sitting MLA A John Kumar, who is now with BJP.
Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan and Welfare Minister M Kandasamy will seek a re-election from Thirunallar and Embalam constituencies respectively, while the party’s state unit chief and former Speaker and Minister A V Subramanian will contest from Karaikal (North).
Former NR Congress MLAs M Vaithinathan and Karthikeyan will contest in Lawspet and Ossudu (SC) respectively. MLAs R K R Anantharaman, T Jayamurthy, V Vizeaveny will seek re-election from Manavely, Ariyankuppam and Nettapakkam(SC) respectively. Former MLA A Marimuthu will contest Nedungadu (SC) in Karaikal region.
BJP’s navaratnas
BJP has announced that it will be contesting in nine seats. Former PWD Minister A Namassivayam who crossed over from Congress will contest from Mannadipet as his bastion Villianur has been lost to NR Congress. BJP State secretary V Saminathan will fight elections from Lawspet. Last elections, he lost this seat to Speaker VP Sivakozhunthu. Now, the latter is also in BJP.
AIADMK’s famous five
According to the list released by AIADMK, the sitting MLAs A Anbazhagan (Uppalam), A Baskar (Mudaliarpet), Vaiyapuri Manikandan (Muthialpet), and KAU Assana (Karaikal-South) will contest from their respective constituencies. Former MLA Om Sakthi Segar, who is also the party’s west convenor has been allotted Orleanpet constituency instead of Nellithope, from where he won the previous election in 2011.