The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will contest in Dharmapuri, Pennagaram and Chepauk-Triplicane in the upcoming Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. The list of the 23 constituencies allocated to PMK by the AIADMK was released on Wednesday.
As per the list released by the AIADMK, the PMK will contest in Senji, Mailam, Jayamkondan, Tiruporur, Vandhavasi (reserved), Neyveli, Tirupattur (Tirupattur district), Arcot, Gummidipoondi, Mayiladuthurai, Pennagaram, Dharmapuri, Virudhachalam, Kancheepuram, Keezhpennathur, Mettur, Salem West, Sholingar, Sankarapuram, Chepauk-Triplicane, Poonamallee (reserved), Keezhvelur (reserved) and Aathur (Dindigul). The PMK sealed an alliance with the AIADMK for the upcoming assembly polls in February. The alliance was sealed after Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced 10.5% reservation within the Most Backward Communities (MBC) quota exclusively for Vanniyars in education and employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu.
The announcement, made hours before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force in Tamil Nadu, was seen as an attempt to keep the relationship with the PMK good. Vanniyars form a majority of the vote bank of the PMK, and the party has demanded an exclusive reservation for the Vanniyars for a few years.
Though the PMK’s initial demand to the AIADMK was for 30 seats, they accepted the party’s offer of 23 seats. After the announcement of the alliance, PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters that their demand of reservation for Vanniyars has been met by the AIADMK. “Hence, we have willingly reduced the number of seats that we will contest in the elections. Our strength is not going to diminish. Our alliance will win in this election and Edappadi Palaniswami will become the Chief Minister again," he added.
The PMK has, historically, alternated between DMK and the AIADMK in allying for elections. However, in 2016, the party contested the Assembly polls alone and did not win a single seat. Tamil Nadu will go to polls on April 6 for its Legislative Assembly and the results of the elections will be declared on May 2.