Cong,PMK will face each other only in Puducherry

Congress’ all out efforts to retain PMK in the UPA had come a cropper,as neither the PMK nor the DMK was inclined at being on the same side.

In Puducherry,the ruling Congress will field a candidate after a five-year gap. DMK allotted the seat to PMK in 2004 election,when DMK,Congress,PMK,MDMK and Left parties were on the same side of the fence.

PMK will face its friendly party,Viduthalai Chirutaigal Katchi (VCK) at Chidambaram (SC),where VCK leader Tol Thirumavalavan will be trying his luck for a second time. In 2004,he contested on his own and garnered more than two lakh votes to lose against PMK nominee E Ponnusamy.

Another seat allotted to VCK is Villupuram (SC),considered the PMK bastion. Tindivanam,the native town of PMK founder S Ramadoss,falls under the seat.

The DMK will face the PMK in Sriperumbudur,where Union Minister T R Baalu is likely to be fielded against former Union Minister A K Moorthy and also at Arakonam,Dharmapuri,Tiruvannamalai and the newly created Kallakurichi.

The CPI,part of the AIADMK-headed front,will face Congress at Tenkasi (SC) and the DMK at North Chennai and Nagapattinam (SC).

The constituencies to be fought by the CPI(M) and the MDMK are yet to be announced by the alliance leader AIADMK.