Arch rivals Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will lock horns in eight constituencies in the assembly elections in Pondicherry, while the Congress will take on AIADMK in seven constituencies.

The DMK and AIADMK are contesting against each other in Orleanpet, Nellithoppe, Karaikal (north), Neravi, Ouppalam, Muthialpet, Mannadipet and Ossudu.

The Congress will take on AIADMK in Thattanchavady, Lawspet, Ozhukarai, Kottucherry, Mahe, Palloor and Yanam.

The Communist Party of India is contesting against AIADMK in Reddiyarpalayam.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will wage a lone battle in one or two seats. In the 2001 elections, the party had unsucessfully contested from Ariyankuppam, Thirubhuvanai (SC) and Palloor constituencies.

This is the first time after the 1980 elections, that the Congress and DMK have forged an alliance.

In the 1980 elections, DMK had won 14 seats and the Congress 10 and formed a DMK-led coalition government, headed by D Ramachandran. Subsequently, the Congress fought all elections in alliance with the AIADMK, till 2001.

The DMK-Congress alliance has once again proved the inability of the Congress to bargain. The DMK securing an additional four seats over its seven sitting MLAs is an indication to the Congress that the party will only settle for a coalition government, if the Democratic Progressive Alliance is voted to power.

The DMK, obtaining the Ossudu and Mannadipet constituencies along with Muthialpet and Ouppalam, had virtually denied a chance to the local administration minister A Ezhumalai and speaker M D R Ramachandran to contest the elections.

Ezhumalai, who was elected on the Puducherry Makkal Congress ticket, became a Congress member when PMC founder P Kannan merged his party with the Congress. Ramachandran was elected on the AIADMK ticket.

Despite the withdrawal of AIADMK's support to the N Rangasamy government, Ramachandran did not obey the party's direction to resign. Instead, he continued as the speaker. Later, he quit the AIADMK and joined the Congress.

With DMK getting both the Ossudu and Mannadipet constituencies, Ezhumali and Ramachandran are bound to switch over, if they intend to contest. Muthialpet and Ouppalam constituencies are held by AIADMK.

More news: Pondicherry Assembly elections