Puducherry Mar 22 (PTI) The secretary of the territorial unit of AIADMK, A Anbalagan, will be contesting from Uppalam constituency on behalf of NDA in the April 9 Assembly election, the party said on Sunday.
A Gandhi, former deputy secretary of the AIADMK here, is the party’s nominee in Orleanpet constituency, a party statement said.
Anbalagan, a senior leader in AIADMK, was first elected in his maiden poll battle from Uppalam in 2001. He retained the constituency on the AIADMK ticket in the 2006, 2011 and 2016 polls as well.
He lost the poll battle in 2021 to his DMK rival, Annibal Kennedy. AIADMK was a part of the NDA in the last polls also.
Gandhi, the AIADMK candidate in Orleanpet, is a greenhorn in the poll battle. AIADMK has now been allotted two constituencies in the NDA led by AINRC, which is contesting in 16 seats.
AIADMK had formed a government in Puducherry in 1974 and 1977, although the two governments were short-lived. The party drew a blank in the 1980 elections. The party also suffered a defeat in all five constituencies it contested in 2021. Now, the AIADMK will strive to wrest the Uppalam seat from DMK and the Orleanpet from the Independent, G Nehru.
The territorial Assembly has a total of 30 seats. The poll is scheduled to be held simultaneously on April 9 in all four regions: Puducherry (23 seats), Karaikal (5 seats), Mahe and Yanam regions (one seat each). PTI CORR ADB
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