Candidates from eight political parties and five independents are in the fray in the battle for the Orleanpet constituency. The constituency which has long been a bastion of Dravidian parties is set to see a tough fight between the DMK and All India NR Congress.
DMK candidate R. Siva, who has won the Assembly elections thrice from this constituency, hopes to ride on the anti-incumbency wave against sitting legislator G. Nehru of the AINRC.
Mr. Siva was elected from here in 1996, 2001 and 2006.
Dravidian parties’ bastion
Orleanpet is known to have chosen AIADMK and DMK candidates to represent them more number of times than any other constituency. While AIADMK candidates were elected four times in 1974, 1977, 1985 and 1991, DMK has won the Assembly elections in 1980, 1990, 1996, 2001 and 2006.
This election, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is fielding A. Ravindran. However, the sitting MLA G.Nehru alias Kuppusamy of the All India NR Congress is basking in past glory to make a comeback.
Mr. Nehru started his political career with the Congress party. But, he contested as an independent candidate in 2006 when the party failed to given him a ticket from Orleanpet constituency. He lost the elections to Mr. Siva. Later in 2011, he contested from the All India NR Congress and won by a margin of 2,618 votes.
“In the past five years, I have addressed the problem of drinking water in Raja Nagar, Pudupalayam, Ilango Nagar and many other areas in my constituency. It was during my tenure that violence and crime rate had come down drastically. As a representative from this constituency, I ensured that people feel safe living here,” said Mr.Nehru.
The only transgender contesting in Puducherry is from this constituency. Naam Tamilar Katchi has fielded S. Jesiliya.
Nearly five independent candidates are striving to split the vote share and it remains to be seen who this would help or hurt.
