Trichy: With the T T V Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) keen on fielding former mayor of Trichy corporation Sarubala Thondaiman, the Trichy Lok Sabha constituency may witness a three-cornered contest in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. AMMK sources claim that since the DMK and AIADMK fronts are most likely to allot Trichy to Congress and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) respectively, cadres of the two major dravidian parties will be upset at the ‘ceding’ of Trichy to their allies.Riding on the familiarity of Sarubala, the contest in any case would not be a cakewalk for the two major coalitions here, they said. Well-placed sources in DMK said that their coalition was most likely to hand over Trichy to Congress which may field its former state president S Thirunavukkarasar here. “After being removed as president of TNCC, Thirunavukkarasar was assured by the Congress high command that he would be fielded in a favourable constituency, either Trichy or Ramanathapuram. Since IUML has been angling for Ramanathapuram, Congress is keen on securing Trichy,” a source with DMK said.The Congress fancies its chances as Pudukkottai which falls under Trichy LS segment is the native district of the former TNCC president. However, DMK cadres are unhappy over their party gearing up to offer a stronghold like Trichy on a platter to an ally. AMMK not only plans to exploit this resentment, but also counts on Sarubala Thondaiman’s royal ancestry in Pudukottai to appeal to the voters. Sarubala had contested the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Trichy unsuccessfully on Congress ticket.“We have already started our groundwork by appointing booth committees across the constituency. If AIADMK front fields DMDK in Trichy, our winning chances are high,” a senior functionary in AMMK said. With AIADMK’s incumbent MP P Kumar hesitant on contesting again, DMDK which has been demanding Trichy has zeroed in on two candidates, one from Trichy and another from Salem. AMMK functionaries point out that compared to the DMK and AIADMK fronts, Sarubala was familiar among voters in Srirangam, Trichy West and Trichy East assembly segments while the fight for the Rockfort segment would be a three-cornered one. “Wherever PMK, CPI, CPM, and DMDK contests, we stand a chance to win,” a senior leader with AMMK added.

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