LS polls: Seat sharing done deal in INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Seat-sharing negotiation in the DMK-led INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu is a done deal. The DMK on Monday successfully wrapped up the seat sharing process of the alliance with the finalization of constituencies of Congress and Vaiko's MDMK (Trichy).

Seats of the other INDIA bloc parties were formalized over a week ago.

Chief Minister M K Stalin and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai on Monday formally signed the agreement in the presence of AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam to finalize the 10 constituencies (including Puducherry) of the Congress party.

The national party, which has given up two sitting seats and one seat it lost in 2019, managed to secure Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai and Tirunelveli in exchange for Arani, Trichy and Theni, while retaining its remaining sitting seats. With the formalization of the agreements with all its allies, the seats of DMK have also been confirmed for the April 19 Parliamentary polls. In addition to its sitting seats, the DMK would be contesting Coimbatore, Erode, Theni and Arani anew.

Talking to media persons at Arivalayam, Selvaperunthagai said, "You (media) people said the talks (seat sharing) were dragging on. We promised a 'sweet' message. Congress has obtained 10 seats and also the constituencies we asked for. We will meet you again with a good message that the DMK-Congress alliance won all 40 seats."

Asked about the party forfeiting its sitting seats, Selvaperunthagai said, "We got the seats favourable to us." On the candidates list, the TNCC president said, "We will release our candidates list in two or three days."

Responding to a query on the Congress opening the talks first with the DMK and finishing it last, he said, "We are a national party. We must finalize agreements in all states. We have been doing it one by one. Now we have clinched the deal here."

Alliance leader DMK would be contesting 22 seats (including a seat KMDK will contest in DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol). The KMDK headed by MLA E R Eswaran has announced its youth wing secretary Suryamurthy as its candidate for Namakkal Parliamentary constituency. Likewise, MDMK general secretary Vaiko announced his son Durai as the party candidate for Trichy constituency where the party would contest in its 'own' symbol.

Constituencies of DMK

1. Chennai North
2. Chennai South
3. Chennai Central
4. Kancheepuram
5. Sriperumbudur
6. Arakkonam
7. Vellore
8. Tiruvannamalai
9. Dharmapuri
10. Arani
11. Kallakurichi
12. Salem
13. Erode
14. Coimbatore
15. Nilgiris (SC)
16. Permbalur
17. Tenkasi (SC)
18. Thoothukudi
19. Theni
20. Pollachi
21. Thanjavur

Constituencies of Congress

1. Krishnagiri
2. Cuddalore
3. Karur
4. Sivagangai
5. Virudhunagar
6. Tiruvallur (reserve)
7. Kanyakumari
8. Tirunelveli
9. Mayiladuthurai
10. Puducherry

CPIM Seats

1. Madurai
2. Dindigul

CPI Seats

1. Tiruppur
2. Nagapattinam

VCK Seats

1. Chidambaram (reserve)
2. Villupuram (reserve)

Ramanathapuram (IUML)

Namakkal (KMDK –Rising Sun symbol)

Trichy (MDMK)