Chennai: The DMK has concluded seat-sharing agreements with all 21 parties in its alliance for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, finalizing the allocation of 234 constituencies. The DMK will contest the highest number of seats at 164, followed by Congress with 28 constituencies.
Full seat-sharing details
According to the finalized agreement, the seat allocation among alliance partners is as follows: DMK – 164 seats; Congress – 28; DMDK – 10; VCK – 8; CPI – 5; CPI(M) – 5; MDMK – 4; IUML – 2; MMK – 2; KMDK – 2; MDMK (Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi) – 1; SDPI – 1; Mukkulathor Pulipadai – 1; and Tamilar Desam Katchi – 1.
Among the alliance parties, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has announced that it will not be contesting the elections, opting instead to extend outside support to the DMK-led front.
Contesting under Rising Sun Symbol
Several smaller parties within the DMK alliance will contest under the “Rising Sun” (Udhaya Suriyan) symbol. Similarly, out of the four seats allocated to the MDMK, three seats will be contested under the same symbol. In total, candidates will contest under the “Rising Sun” symbol in 178 constituencies, combining the DMK’s 164 seats with additional allocations from alliance partners.
Pending details and alliance unity
Although the seat-sharing process has been concluded, specific details regarding exactly which constituencies have been allocated to which parties, and the selection of candidates for those seats, have yet to be finalized. These details are expected to be settled within the next day or two.
While reports have suggested that some members within the DMK alliance harbour dissatisfaction regarding the relatively high number of constituencies allocated to the DMDK, however the DMK has asserted that there is absolutely no dissatisfaction among any of its allies regarding the seat allocation.