The AIADMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu has announced the seat-sharing arrangement for the 39 parliamentary constituencies across the state as well as Puducherry. The announcement came after meeting of senior ruling party leaders and alliance partners at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Chennai’s Alwarpet.
The AIADMK will contest from Salem, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Erode, Karur, Tiruppur, Pollachi, Arani, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram(SC), Perambalur, Theni, Madurai, Nilgiris(SC), Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam(SC), Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvallur(SC), Kancheepuram(SC) and Chennai South. As TNM had reported earlier, the BJP has been allotted Kanyakumari, Sivaganga, Coimbatore and Thoothukudi in addition to Ramanathapuram.
Critic-turned-alliance partner PMK has been allotted its usual forte of Dharmapuri, in addition to Villupuram(SC), Arakkonam, Cuddalore, Chennai Central, Dindigul, and Sriperumbudur.
The DMDK, which bargained hard for four seats, will contest from its former bastion in Virudhunagar along with Kallakurichi, Tiruchirappalli, and Chennai North.
Meanwhile, Puthiya Tamilagam has been allotted Tenkasi(SC), while the Puthiya Needhi Katchi will contest from Vellore. All India NR Congress will contest the lone seat from the Union Territory of Puducherry while GK Vasan’s Tamil Manila Congress has been assigned Thanjavur.
The announcement came after a meeting between the senior ruling party leaders and alliance partners at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Chennai’s Alwarpet. Party coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, flanked by AIADMK joint coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, made the announcement. Also present were BJP’s State President Tamilisai Soundararajan and National Secretary H Raja.
It is notable that while the AIADMK will contest from Chennai South, DMDK will contest from Chennai North and PMK from Chennai Central. The DMK, on the other hand, which is leading the Madhacharbatra Murpokku Kootani (Secular Progressive Alliance), will contest from all three Chennai seats.
In February, the ruling party in the state announced a ‘mega alliance’ with the national party. While it was agreed that the AIADMK will contest from 20 seats and BJP from five, PMK was allotted seven parliamentary constituencies. The seat-sharing talks, which took place over February and March, also saw the AIADMK garner assurances of support from the BJP, PMK and other parties for the 21-state bye-elections that are due in the state.