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Congress' chances in civic polls bright: Sudhakar Reddy

Special Correspondent

Top party official promises special steps for Karaikal

PONDICHERRY: Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee P. Sudhakar Reddy on Friday said the chances of the Congress-led Democratic Progressive Alliance in the civic polls in Pondicherry and Karaikal were bright.

Mr. Reddy told The Hindu that he, along with Pondicherry PCC president P. Shanmugham, Industries Minister V. Vaithilingam and party candidates conducted door-to-door campaigning in several wards in Cottuchery and Karaikal on Thursday. The fishermen in the coastal belt wanted the Government to extend the diesel subsidy on time and take special steps to help them during the lean season or whenever a ban on fishing was imposed, he said.

The Congress Government would take special steps to earmark funds for the development of Karaikal. It would also ensure jobs for educated, unemployed youth in the region.

In some wards, he said, a section of the DPA constituents had also fielded its candidates "deliberately," though the Congress was contesting the wards. This was not a healthy trend for the DPA as a whole. "I will talk to the leader of the coalition partner and register my protest and will also draw the attention of the AICC to the situation where an ally of the Congress has fielded candidates despite Congress contestants being in the fray."

Mr. Reddy said he would monitor, as in-charge of party affairs, the coordination between the party and the Government and also among the DPA constituents in the post-poll period.

Accompanied by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, he campaigned in Oulgaret municipality limits, including Alankuppam, Sanjeevi Nagar, seeking support for the party nominee N.S.J. Jayapal, contesting the chairman's post, and other DPA candidates. He said the Karaikal region was solidly behind the Congress and its allies.

In the May Assembly elections, the Congress drew a blank in Karaikal; it was unable to win any of the four seats it contested. The DMK retained the remaining two seats there.

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