Pondicherry: Aspirants for Congress tickets to contest coming Assembly polls here thronged the premises of the Pondicherry PCC office here on Thursday, the last day to present the prescribed applications together with the fees.

Unending flow

The flow of the applicants was virtually unending right from the morning. The party office is housed in an old premises and the space available for the large turnout of ticket seekers was insufficient. One had to squeeze through the crowd and the cell operating to receive the applications, which was in a narrow room in the party office.

The Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues, the present legislators and also former legislators as well as representatives of various wings presented applications either personally or through supporters. The whole process of getting the forms from ticket aspirants began on March 10.

Although March 15 was fixed as the last date to present the forms the date was extended by one day in response to the request made by a number of party functionaries.

At one stage the number of applications received crossed 355.

The party sources said that this was an unprecedented.

The Pondicherry PCC leader, P. Shanmugham, along with the Chief Minister N Rangasamy would fly to Delhi in the next few days to place before the AICC leader the full details of the applicants and would seek the decision of the high command.

Supporters of the AICC General Secretary V. Narayanasamy MP also presented the application seeking ticket to him to contest the poll in the Bussy Assembly constituency in the heart of the town.

But the PCC leader had made it clear that he would not contest the elections from any constituency.

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