With barely seven days left for polling, candidates and political parties have started door-to-door campaign in Puducherry
Braving the rising temperature, , the cadres, carrying flags and pamphlets, visit each and every house to seek votes. Autos, mini-vans and small vehicles, fitted with public address system, go around every nook and corner of the city.
Animated discussions by candidates and party leaders, election-based talk shows, dramas, organised by various political parties, have intensified the poll scenario in the State.
In spite of strict regulations on campaigning, some of the parties manage to reach out to the people by various means.
Though as many as 30 candidates are in the fray for the Puducherry Lok Sabha constituency, six candidates of main parties such as the Congress, All India N.R. Congress, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Communist Party of India and the Pattali Makkal Katchi are in the forefront as far as the campaign is concerned.
Though the national parties are yet to bring any leaders so far except Union Minister P. Chidambaram, who took part in a meeting to seek votes for Mr. Narayanasamy, the regional parties such as AIADMK and the DMK have already brought top leaders for campaigning. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin were among those visited Puducherry recently to campaign for their respective party candidates.
V. Narayanasamy, who is seeking re-election as a Congress nominee, is spearheading open jeep campaign with the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and important leaders of the party.
He is covering at least 2 constituencies in a day. Besides highlighting his achievements as the Member of Parliament, he targets Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, whom he describes as a “non-performer”.
On his part, Mr. Rangasamy, who has fielded former Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly R. Radhakrishnan, also carries on an open jeep campaign along with the Ministers, MLAs, Chairmen of corporations and others. As per the schedule, he speaks in at least 10 places daily.
His campaign revolves mainly around the failure of Mr. Narayanasamy as Member of Parliament representing Puducherry. He touches upon the reduction of Central grant to Puducherry in almost all roadside meetings. The campaign is set to become vigorous in the coming days.
