BJP to ally with 5 parties in TN including DMDK, PMK and MDMK

Chennai: The BJP announced on March 20 that it will ally with five parties -- Desiya Murpokku Dravida Katchi (DMDK), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Katchi(MDMK), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK) and Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KNMDK) -- in Tamil Nadu for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP will contest eight seats -- Chennai South, Vellore, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari.

DMDK will contest 14 seats -- Villuppuram, Cuddalore, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Namakkal, Kallakurichi, Tirupur, Madurai, Karur, Thiruvallur, Chennai Central, Chennai North and Salem.

MDMK will contest the seven constiteuncies of Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Theni, Kancheepuram, Erode, Sriperumbudur and Thoothukudi.

PMK will contest from eight seats comprising Arakkonam, Krishnagiri, Arani, Dharmapuri, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Tiruvannamalai.

IJK and KNMDK will be contesting from one seat each — Perambalur and Pollachi respectively.

Announcing the seat sharing arrangement in Chennai, BJP president Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the NDA will win upto 35 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

DMDK leader Vijayakanth, MDMK leader Vaiko, PMK leaders G K Mani and Anbumani Ramadoss, IJK leader Parivendhar, were present
at the press conference.