Pondy CM contesting for fifth time in row from Thattanchavady

Pondicherry, Apr 26 (UNI) Pondicherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy is contesting from Thattanchavady constituency for the fifth time in a row in the May 8 assembly elections here.

Tasting defeat at the hands of V Pethaperumal, the then Janata Dal candidate in his initial attempt in 1990 at Tattanchavady, Mr Rangasamy avenged his defeat, when he handed out a 7260 votes margin defeat to Pethaperumal in the 1991 elections, and became the Agriculture Minister in V Vaithilingam cabinet.

After 1991, he never turned back and all efforts of Mr Pethaperumal to capture Thattanchavady proved futile. Mr Rangasamy was successful in the 1996 and 2001 elections, too and became the Chief Minister in 2001.

As many as 35557 electorate will decide the fate of the Chief Minister on May 8, who was locked in a triangular contest this time.

The absence of his arch rival Pethaperumal from the fray made things easier for Rangasamy. Mr Pethaperumal quit Janata Dal and joined the Congress. At present, virtualy there is no worthwhile opponent for Mr Rangasamy in Thattanchavady, even though T Gunasekeran of AIADMK and Bhaskaran of the BJP are in the fray.

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