NE NEWS SERVICE
PUDUCHERRY, MAR 19
AINRC founder leader N Rangasamy will contest from two constituencies, while four former ministers and five new faces are among 16 named by the party on Friday for the April 6 assemby poll in the Union Territory.
Rangasamy, a former chief minister, will contest from Thattanchavady in Puducherry and the lone segment in Yanam, an enclave of the UT.
The list was released by Rangasamy through Whats App to media persons on Friday, the last day to file nominations.
Of the 16 candidates named to the 30 member assembly, 12 will be fielded in Puducherry, while the UT”s other enclaves Karaikal and Mahe would have two and one respectively.
Besides the four former ministers C Djeacoumar, N G Panneerselvam, P Rajavelou and K Lakshminarayanan, the party has re-fielded two women members S Gobika and S Chandra Priyanka of the outgoing assembly. The AINRC heads the NDA, which has the BJP and AIADMK as its other constituents
The BJP is contesting nine seats and the AIADMK, five. Djeacoumar, Panneerselvam, Rajavelou and Lakshminarayanan have been fielded in Mangalam, Oulgaret, Nettapakkam (reserved) and Raj Bhavan constituencies. S Gobika and S Chandra Priyanka will try their luck in Tirubhuvanai and Neduncadu (both reserved) constituencies. While Thirubhuvanai segment is in Puducherry region, the other constituency is in Karaikal region.
Two other legislators of the outgoing assembly S V Sugumaran and P R N Tirumourugan will contest from Villianur and Karaikal (north) constituencies respectively.
Sugumaran was returned to the Assembly in 2016 poll from Mangalam and has now been fielded in Villianoor.
Tirumourugan is seeking reelection from Karaikal (north). AINRC has fielded new faces in Mahe, Kadirkamam, Indira Nagar, Ariyankuppam and Embalam (reserved) constituency.
