DMK to increase tally for Rajya Sabha polls

"We will field our candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls. As per the party's position in the Assembly, we will win three seats," said T.K.S. Elangovan.

Six members of the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu -- Sasikala Pushpa, Vijila Sathyanath, S.Muthukaruppan, A.K. Selvaraj (all from AIADMK), Tiruchi Siva (DMK) and T.K. Rangarajan (CPI-M) -- will all retire on April 2, said the Election Commission of India said on Tuesday.

As per the Commission's schedule for biennial elections, the polls will be held on March 26 and counting of votes will also take place the same day.

The ruling AIADMK has 125 members (including the Speaker) in the Assembly and DMK and allies have 108 members (DMK 100, Congress seven and IUML one).

Hence both the parties can win three seats each in the March 26 polls.

Currently, the AIADMK has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha and DMK has five.

Post elections, the strength of AIADMK in Rajya Sabha is expected to will fall to nine (if it fields its candidates for all the seats) and DMK's strength is set to increase to seven.

The retiring CPI-M member Rangarajan was elected to the Upper House with the AIADMK's support last time. But now his party is aligned with the DMK.

Meanwhile, DMDK Treasurer Premaltha Vijayakanth said the party expects one Rajya Sabha seat as promised by the AIADMK earlier.

When queried about the DMDK's expectation, AIADMK Joint Coordinator and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said the matter will be decided by the party high command.