Poll pulse yet to pick up in Pondy

Pondicherry, Apr 1 (UNI) The momentum of electioneering for the May 3 and 8 assembly elections in this union territory is yet to pick up even though only a few more days are left for the filing of nominations for the first phase of elections.

Two constituencies in Mahe region and the lone Yanam constituency would go to polls in the first phase on May 3 while, elections to the constituencies in Pondicherry and Karaikal regions will be on May 8.

The constituents of the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) are yet to ink an alliance to contest the elections. This is the main hindrance for the electioneering to pick up, the Congress, DMK and the Left party cadres here are a confused lot, as they still do not know the modality of contest, whether there will be an alliance or the parties would take the election alone.

On the AIADMK front, the party had finalised alliance with Puducherry Munnetra Congress (PMC), MDMK and DPI, identified the constituency for each party to contest and announced it's candidates. The candidates had already started door to door campaign.

AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha will start her election campaigning in the union territory this evening. Starting from Madagadippet, she will have a whirlwind tour of the town before leaving to Cuddalore.

It is expected that the tempo of election campaign will pick up after the DPA sorts out things and national leaders start visiting Pondicherry. No party flags, wall writings, posters, cut-outs or banners could be seen in Pondicherry, due to strict enforcement of the model code of conduct by the election commission.

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