DMK pitches Jagathrakshakan as CM face for Puducherry polls; could ditch ally Congress

In a massive development, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Monday fielded heavyweight leader Jagathrakshakan as its chief ministerial face for the Puducherry Assembly Elections due in April-May. 

Trouble is brewing in the Congress-DMK alliance in Puducherry as the MK Stalin-led party is planning to break away from Congress and contest the upcoming assembly elections alone. Jagathrakshakan, a prominent politician in Tamil Nadu and an influential face in Chennai has been selected as the CM candidate in the Union Territory of Puducherry. 

According to reports, DMK's Puducherry unit feels that the Congress government in the Union Territory faces an anti-incumbency wave and that it should either lead the alliance or fight the polls alone. 

DMK will reportedly hold a key meeting on Monday headed by Jagathrakshakan to discuss the party's future course of action amid speculation that it will break the alliance with Congress in the UT.

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Ally in one state, rival in another?

While DMK's Puducherry unit feels it is poised to lead an alliance, senior leaders believe that the party cannot have two different stands for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. DMK cannot have an alliance with Congress in Tamil Nadu and come out of it in Puducherry, as such a decision would be contradictory in nature, a senior Dravidian leader said. 

The development also comes at a time when current Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy is battling differences between his own Congress legislators who are reportedly in touch with the BJP, which is attempting a toehold in the southern territory.

Elections to the Puducherry assembly are likely to be held along with the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. In Tamil Nadu, the Congress is fronted as a DMK-led alliance. 

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