CHENNAI: There may be three full months and more for the elections in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. While denying speculative reports in a section of the media that a broad seat sharing arrangement has been worked out among the constituents of the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), the parties are busy preparing their own lists — of seats they want to contest this time.

Peculiar problem for Congress

Being the second largest constituent, the Congress, which heads the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre, has a peculiar problem to manage.

It has to try and safeguard its position in the Union Territory, where it now runs a Government. Congress sources in Pondicherry say that it becomes "crucial for us" to maintain the party position here, just as the DPA leader in Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) wants to contest as many seats there to be in a position to form a government on its own in case the alliance triumphs.

Party leaders from the Union Territory will be spending the next couple of months trying to sell this message to the high command so that the Congress team can keep this in mind when the bargaining for seats begins.

Reinforcing the idea

"The loss of face, when we sacrificed the lone Pondicherry Lok Sabha seat to our ally, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), was too serious. We do not know if the Congress leaders from New Delhi realised what it means to us here. That is why, from the beginning of this year Assembly election exercise, we want to reinforce the idea that if the DMK should contest enough seats in Tamil Nadu to form a government on its own, we too should be able to do the same in the Union Territory," says a senior Congress leader from Pondicherry, who did not want to be named.

He was happy that senior leader V. Narayanaswami has been elevated as a general secretary of the party and a former Chief Minister, Vaithialingam, included in the AICC panel.

But he did not fail to notice that as general secretary, the former PCC chief has been put in charge of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.

Unless all party leaders and functionaries, including the incumbent Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, and PCC president Shanmugam, work together and speak with one voice, there is a feeling that the Union Territory can slip out of the party's hands.

PMK's ambition

Their fears are not difficult to comprehend. The PMK has been breathing down the neck and working to a plan.

It has already announced its ambition and intention to try and head a Government in Pondicherry in 2006, which is why it made the Lok Sabha seat in 2004 a prestige issue. If the PMK persists with that notion and raises its stakes during the seat-sharing exercise, it can adversely affect the chances of the Congress.

Delinking of seat sharing

For that reason, the Congress leaders here want to delink seat sharing in Pondicherry from the exercise in Tamil Nadu.

"It is unfortunate that our fortunes are held hostage to the situation in Tamil Nadu. We do not like the idea of being an extension counter for Tamil Nadu. We hope the high command realises this and insists on dealing with the two States separately. We can have the same alliance, but not the same formula," reasons a former pradesh committee chief.

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