Puducherry, April 18 (Inditop) The electoral contest between PMK’s M. Ramadoss and Congressman V. Narayanswamy in this union territory is a no-holds-barred battle between close friends.
Ramadoss, nostalgic about the friendship, says: “We studied the same subject economics, are of a similar age group (sixties), went to the same Government Tagore College in the sixties as friends and are still friends beyond the political arena.”
“But as we are on different sides of the political divide, we are both fighting to win against each other,” Ramadoss added.
Narayanswamy too reminiscences about their good old days. “We used to visit the library together, share books we accessed, compared notes and taught each other whatever one of us did not understand. Our personal friendship is as certain as our unforeseen political rivalry,” he told IANS.
In 2004, they were on the same side – as part of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).
While Narayanswamy was elected to the Rajya Sabha and was made union minister of state for planning and parliamentary affairs, Ramadoss won the Puducherry Lok Sabha seat.
Despite sharing most economic and political beliefs both are on different sides of the political spectrum.
The PMK is with the AIADMK-led front while the Congress continues to be part of the DMK-led DPA.
Puducherry goes to polls in the last phase May 13.
rounak