Congress vs ‘Congress’ in party’s last southern bastion

The UT has largely remained a Congress base since its first Assembly election in 1963. The few exceptions were short-lived,ranging from three weeks in 1974 to a few months,the longest government being the one headed by DMK leader R V Janakiraman with the support of the erstwhile Tamil Manila Congress.

Rangasamy,Chief Minister twice,was ousted from the post after a majority of Congress leaders sided against him. This year,he resigned as an MLA despite efforts by Congress leaders to retain him ahead of the elections. Soon,various organisations floated by his supporters were brought together to form the political party.

Though he is the only top leader in the party,Rangasamy’s carefully cultivated image of an always accessible politician has given him great mileage. This was made clear in the results of the previous Assembly elections from his Thattanchavady constituency which he has been representing for two decades now. In 2006,he secured 90.23 per cent of the votes polled,with 6.76 per cent for the number two.

After constituency boundaries were redrawn,voters from Thattanchavady and neighbouring Reddiarpalayam were redistributed to Indira Nagar,Kamaraj Nagar,Kadirgamam and the reconstituted Thattanchavady,all of which are expected to feel the “NR” effect.

Rangasamy’s only supporter among the MLAs,P Angalane,was the first to resign and join the nascent party. Congress legislator N Anandhu and nominated members T Thiagarajan (Congress),who was the Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister Vaithilingam,and N G Panneerselvam (PMK) followed.

As the MDMK resolved not to contest the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry,its lone MLA,R Siva,has resigned and joined the AINRC. Former ministers P Anandabaskaran and M Chandrakasu,and former government whip P Rajavelu are among other veteran Congress leaders who have shifted allegiance.

Following the launch of the party,Rangasamy has held exploratory meetings with the AIADMK leadership and met J Jayalalithaa. This was followed by brief confusion when the AIADMK announced candidates for all 30 seats. However,realising the situation on the ground,the AIADMK conceded 17 seats for the new partner,with Rangasamy formally projected as CM candidate.

Sources in the ruling coalition say those who have crossed over are seat aspirants who didn’t expect Congress tickets. The elections will be tough,they concede,but add the challenge is not serious enough to unseat the Congress. With both sides claiming to be the real Congress,that statement is at least half-true.