Where poll is subdued but fierce

The election campaign in this erstwhile French territory is devoid of the election ambiance that is visible outside the 9.5 square kilometre enclave which forms one of the 30 Assembly constituencies of the Puducherry State going to the polls on May 16.

It is business as usual here with no usual election season features, including campaign hoardings, posters and graffiti. The Pondicherry Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act 2000 bars individuals and organisations from affixing or inscribing or exhibiting any place, both private and public, open to the public.

In the electoral arena here, Congress leader and former Minister E. Valsaraj is seeking re-election for the seventh term in succession. His main rival is V. Ramachandran, a retired college teacher, who is contesting as an Independent backed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Bharatiya Janata Party’s P.T. Devaraj and V.P. Abdurrahiman of the All India N.R. Congress (INRC) led by incumbent Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy are in the fray.

Political equations in Tamil Nadu may influence electoral outcome in the State, but in this outlying territory the battle lines are drawn in accordance with the traditional political rivalry in the neighbouring Kerala. Here the Congress is in alliance with the Indian Union Muslim League. Neither its partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam nor its rival AINRC has any presence.

Congress stronghold

“The Congress-led alliance will come to power in Puducherry in the election,” said Mr. Valsaraj who had been Home Minister in the previous Congress Ministry. Mahe being a traditional Congress stronghold, he exuded the confidence that the people would re-elect him with a higher margin because of the hope of a Congress comeback.

He was elected in the 2011 with a huge margin of 6,104 votes.

It was the first election after the merger of the Mahe and Palloor constituencies. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the Congress candidate secured majority in the Mahe segment. “People here want a change and that wish for change I can hear during my election campaign,” said Mr. Ramachandran, who has been actively involved in palliative care activities here. He said the issue of delay in finalising the compensation package for the land being taken over for the Thalassery-Mahe bypass is a major election issue. If the incumbent MLA had intervened seriously the issue would have been solved, he said.

The constituency has 30,000-odd voters. Thanks to the Pondicherry Open Place (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, candidates and parties are not worried about their election expenditure exceeding the permissible limits. Though located close to the politically volatile areas of Kannur, election campaign here is not marred by violence.