Tamil Nadu elections: Congress gets 25 seats in DMK alliance, talks with CPM on

A formal pact was signed by DMK chief M K Stalin and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K S Alagiri at the DMK's headquarters in Chennai, 'Anna Arivalayam', on Sunday.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Sunday allotted 25 Assembly seats and the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha constituency to the Congress, after a week-long deadlock in negotiations between the allies ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. A formal pact was signed by DMK chief M K Stalin and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K S Alagiri at the DMK’s headquarters in Chennai, ‘Anna Arivalayam’, on Sunday.

Alagiri after signing the agreement, said it was a significant day for the party as unity of secular forces was the most important factor in the current political situation in India.

“Our alliance holds great significance at a time when BJP is spreading its ideology like an epidemic. What they (BJP) did in Puducherry was the same, by sending a Lt. Governor to interrupt and stop work of an elected government. So, preventing the BJP’s growth in Tamil Nadu continues to be an important thing. This alliance is not only to capture power, but also to keep it as a lifeline of secular forces,” Alagiri said.

Ever since alliance talks began between the Congress and DMK, there were many ups and downs inspite of their long association. A section of DMK, close to party chief M K Stalin, wanted to keep Congress away and contest maximum seats.

Congress was initially demanding 34 seats and DMK was only ready to offer only 18. Later, the Congress’s demand came down to 30, even as DMK refused to increase its offer. DMK was then seen making changes in its tough stand before both parties managed to reach 25 seats for Congress, along with the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat, where a bypoll is necessitated following the death of sitting Congress MP H Vasanthakumar due to Covid-19 last year.

Of 234 seats in the state, DMK has already allocated six seats each for Thol Thirumavalavan’s Dalit party VCK and CPI, parties who already have two MPs each in the alliance. Vaiko’s MDMK was also allotted six seats, but the party candidates will be contesting on DMK’s symbol, the rising sun. While Congress was given 25, talks with another ally CPM are still in progress, as they are demanding more than what CPI got in the alliance.

Tamil Nadu, which has 234 Assembly seats, goes to polls in one phase on April 6. The results will be declared on May 2.

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