Congress plans to demand 12 constituencies from DMK in TN for 2024 LS polls: Reports

CHENNAI: The Congress has planned to demand 12 constituencies from the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu for the 2024 Parliamentary elections during the seat-sharing talks that is set to take place at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam in Chennai today at 3 pm. Official word on the seat-sharing will be out only after the discussion.

According to the released list, all the 12 constituencies are sitting DMK MPs seats.

The list of constituencies are Tiruvallur (SC), Krishnagiri, Arani, Karur, Tiruchy, Sivaganga, Theni, Virudhunagar, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Tenkasi (SC), Dindigul, Tiruvannamalai, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Perambalur, Kallakurichi, Kanchipuram (SC), South Chennai and Arakkonam.

The National Alliance Committee comprising its convenor Mukul Wasnik and senior leaders Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, and Salman Khurshid would hold a discussion with State leaders. Later, the Congress team would hold negotiations with the DMK seat-sharing team led by its treasurer T R Baalu at Anna Arivalayam.

The Congress party is confident of retaining its old tally of 10 seats (including Puducherry) in Tamil Nadu. However, the ruling DMK is determined to drive a hard bargain and reduce it by at least a seat or two.

The Congress, which contested in 10 seats in the 2019 LS polls, won all but the lone Theni Parliamentary constituency it conceded to the AIADMK. The alliance composition of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance that predates the INDIA bloc at the national level remains unchanged since the 2019 LS polls.

(With inputs from Bureau)