Professionals to battle it out in Pondy

By S.Nadarajan

PONDICHERRY, APRIL 23. Doctors, lawyers and academics are in the Pondicherry poll battle. Some of them were formerly Ministers, including Mr.S. Ramassamy of the Congress, a former Chief Minister. He is now contesting in the Karaikal Assembly constituency.

Dr.M. Ramadoss, professor of Economics in the Pondicherry Central University, who unsuccessfully contested as PMK nominee in the 1999 Lok Sabha poll, has now been fielded by the party in Kottuchery, Karaikal.

Mr.A. Gandhiraj, a PCC general secretary, who had served as Education Minister in the Congress-led Ministry during 1991-96 was also a public prosecutor. He seeks reelection from Rajbhavan, where he is pitted against the DMK nominee and former Education Minister, Mr.S.P. Sivakumar, also a lawyer. Mr.Sivakumar seeks to retain the constituency. This is one of the constituencies where the AIADMK, the DMK and the Congress heading separate fronts are in the fray. Rajbhavan is the smallest Assembly constituency in the Union Territory.

Dr.M.A.S. Subramanian, sponsored by the DMK and former legislator elected in 1985 from Orleanpet, is seeking election from Mudaliarpet. Dr.J. Nannan of the AIADMK is pitted against the former Chief Minister and DMK convener, Mr.R.V. Janakiraman, in Nellithope. Mr. Janakiraman has been holding the seat without a break from 1985.

Although most of the parties wax eloquent on the need for earmarking a percentage of seats for women, only a couple of them have fielded women. The AIADMK has fielded Ms. Kalaiselvi in the politically-vibrant and significant constituency of Lawspet. She is being challenged by her brother-in-law (her husband`s brother), Mr.N. Kesavan of the DMK seeking to retain the constituency.

Ms. Priyadarshini of the PMK is contesting from Palloor in the Mahe region. The CPI (ML) has fielded Ms. R.Banu in Oulgaret.

In the poll fray, there are many a slip between the lip and the cup. A former legislator, Mr.M. Balasubramanian, was first tipped to be the DMK nominee in Muthialpet. But as his name was not in the voter list, he was deprived of being a contestant. The DMK has thus fielded a new nominee, Mr.S. Raja Chandrasekar.

For the first time in its history in Pondicherry, the AIADMK has fielded nominees in 20 constituencies after sharing 10 with the PMK, only partner in the alliance.

No party projects a Chief Ministerial candidate; such crucial matters would have to be addressed in the post-poll days.

Mr.V. Balaji, MLA and president of the Pondicherry unit of the TMC, said there would be no assailing of any opposition party. Mr. Balaji who was a nominated member in the House, is now seeking election from the Cassicade constituency, where the PMC president, Mr.K. Lakshminarayanan, and Mr. Malarmannan of the PMK are the other candidates. Cassicade was annexed in the last poll by the then TMC leader, Mr.P. Kannan (founder-Leader of the PMC), who was however elected Independent.

This is the first poll for the new born PMC. Mr Lakshminarayanan is a lawyer and is known as ``Vakil'' in the party quarters.

Mr.P. Moorthy, a former legislator, is the TMC nominee for Oussudu (reserved). A law graduate, he was formerly a legislator from the same segment in 1980.

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