NAGERCOIL: Though the CPM and Congress Kanniyakumari allies in the DMK-combine, the parties are contesting against each other in many urban local bodies, mostly in the western part of Kanniyakumari district. “We decided to go it alone as we were not allotted enough seats,” CPM Kanniyakumari district secretary R Chellaswamy told TNIE.
The Communist party is part of the DMK-led alliance for polls in the Colachel municipality, while it is contesting alone in other municipalities in the district and also the Nagercoil Municipal Corporation. “We are in the fray for elections to 32 wards in Kollencode municipality (total 33 wards), and all 21 wards in Kuzhithurai municipality. Besides, our party candidates are contesting alone in seven wards in Padmanabhapuram municipality. Kollencode and Kuzhithurai are party strongholds,” Chellaswamy said.
Meanwhile, the Congress has fielded candidates for 19 wards in Kuzhithurai, 32 in Kollencode, and 11 in Padmanabhapuram. Congress west district president VM Binulal Singh said the party is contesting in most of the town panchayats in western part of the district.
Despite the competition from alliance parties, the DMK is confident of winning. “The exceptional performance of our government in the last nine months, and intense campaign activities of Minister T Mano Thangaraj will ensure victory,” a functionary said.