As election date draws near, parties step up campaign in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: With just four days left for campaigning for the ensuing polls, electioneering picked up momentum in the Union territory of Puducherry. All the major political parties intensified their campaign and functionaries worked to tight schedules during the last leg to impress upon the electorates to vote in their favour.
Apart from local leaders, the parties roped in their top leaders for the campaign in Puducherry.All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi, Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa, DMK president M Karunanidhi and treasurer M K Stalin and MDMK founder-leader Vaiko were among those who campaigned for their parties in Puducherry. AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi cancelled his visit to Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the last minute citing poor health.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah are expected to visit Puducherry on May 12 and 13 to seek votes for the party.
AINRC founder-leader and chief minister N Rangasamy canvassed votes for his party candidates at Mangalam and neighbouring constituencies while Congress leader and former Union minister of state V Narayanasamy visited Karaikal, territory's enclave 140km down south to campaign for the candidates of the party and DMK contesting from five constituencies in the region.
Puducherry will see a multi-cornered contest. Congress faces the polls in alliance with DMK while AINRC, AIADMK, PMK and the BJP face the polls alone. DMDK, MDMK, CPI, CPM and VCK have formed the People's Welfare Front. However, the main contest is between the Congress and its splinter group AINRC.
Among the major parties only the AIADMK has released the poll manifesto so far. AINRC sources said the party manifesto would be their trump card to retaining power as it would pack a slew of populist measures.