They include Chennai constituencies such as Mylapore, Anna Nagar, Theyagaraya Nagar, Thiru.Vi.Ka.nagar and Royapuram. The Congress emerged victorious in Anna Nagar in 1991 and its breakaway group Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) in Theyagaraya Nagar in 1996.
Besides, Poonamallee constituency, which is just outside the city limits, will also witness a direct contest between these two parties. In this constituency, the Congress won in 1991, 1996 and 2006.
Sriperumbudur, considered a stronghold of the Congress, where it won in 1991, 2001 and 2006, will also see a direct fight between the Congress and AIADMK.
In Vellore, which is deemed a citadel of the Congress as the party or its splinter TMC has won the seat four times since 1991, it will have to sweat it out against the AIADMK.
Similarly, in Udhagamandalam, the Congress, which has been returned from the constituency four times since 1991, will be pitted against the AIADMK.
In Papanasam too, which has been returning Congress candidates consistently except once during the past two decades, the Congress will be locked in a direct fight with AIADMK.
Aranthangi is likely to witness one of the most interesting tussles with S. Thirunavukkarasar, an AIADMK member for more than three decades, who has been elected to the Assembly six times, and now contesting on Congress ticket, pitted against an AIADMK candidate.
In Srivaikuntam too, the Congress has emerged victorious thrice in the past five elections. Now it will have to take on the the AIADMK.
Colachel has also returned the Congress candidate thrice since 1989. It will also see a direct fight between the Congress and the AIADMK. Same is the case with Killiyoor.
Other direct fights of the Congress with the AIADMK include Kalasapakkam, Krishnagiri, Cheyyar. A reading of the party's performance in the past five elections to the State Assembly (1989, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006), including that of its splinter Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) in 1996 and 2001, reveals that it has been performing consistently in some of the constituencies it has chosen now.
Nine of the constituencies given to the Congress are newly formed ones after the delimitation, and hence do not have a history.
Of the 26 constituencies it won in 1989, the Congress is now contesting from Sholinghur, Hosur, Udhagamandalam, Nilakkottai, Papanasam, Peravurani, Virudhunagar, Srivaikuntam, Vasudevanallur, Radhapuram, Colachel and Vilavankode.
However, the Congress might have to sweat it out in certain constituencies that have been the citadel of parties in the current alliance of the AIADMK. For instance, the Communist Party of India emerged victorious from Thiruthuraipoondi in all the five elections and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) won Vilavankode in the last three elections.
Most interestingly, the Congress (or the TMC) has not won even once in the past five elections in the following constituencies: Royapuram, Tiruttani, Mylapore, Alandur, Krishnagiri, Tiruchengode, Avinashi, Singanallur, Musiri, Vridhachalam, Sivaganga, and Thiruparankundram.
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