DMK retains strongholds in first list
CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Dmk)-led alliance announced on Friday the seats each party would contest in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, with the Dravidian party choosing to focus on its traditional stronghold of Chennai and the northern parts of the state.
At a press conference at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, DMK president MK Stalin released the names of 20 seats the party will be contesting. The other 19, mainly in the western and southern parts of the state where the DMK is perceived to be weaker, have been given to allies. The Congress is fighting in nine seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry.
The Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) are fighting two seats each. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK) and Kongun- adu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) have one seat each.
Besdies the three seats in Chennai, the DMK is set to fight from Sriperumbudur, Arakkonam, Kanchipuram(sc), Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Salem, Dharmapuri, Cuddalore, Kallakkurichi, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Pollachi, Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi (SC), Tirunelveli, Dindigul and Nilgiris (SC) LS seats.
The Congress is contesting from Tiruvallur (SC), Arani, Krishnagiri, Karur, Trichy, Kanniyakumari, Virudhunagar, Theni, Sivaganga and Puducherry LS seats. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has got Nagapattinam (SC) and Tiruppur LS seats. The CPI(M) will fight in the Coimbatore and Madurai constituencies. The Dalit-led VCK has been offered the Villupuram (SC) and Chidambaram (SC) seats. MDMK will contest from Erode in western Tamil Nadu. IUML is contesting from Ramanathapuram, where Muslims account for a majority of the electorate. KDMK has been allotted Namakkal seat and IJK will contest from Perambalur.
Of the 20 seats the DMK is contesting, the party has picked up three constituencies – Pollachi, Salem and Nilgiris (SC) — in the western Tamil Nadu that is dominated by the Gounder caste, a traditional vote bank of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. In southern Tamil Nadu, the DMK opted for four seats — Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Dindigul. It is expected that DMK’S women wing secretary Kanimozhi will contest from Thoothukkudi.