DMK allots 41 seats to Congress for TN Assembly polls

Chennai: The DMK and Congress have finalised a deal for the May 16 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections under which the Congress will contest 41 seats. This is 22 seats less than the number contested by the national party in Tamil Nadu in 2011.

An agreement between the two parties was reached during parleys held by AICC observers Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mukul Wasnik with DMK president M Karunanidhi and his senior colleagues at Karunanidhi’s residence in Gopalapuram on April 4, 2016.

The AICC, which initially demanded 63 seats as in 2011, had to settle for a lower figure this time. The DMK is said to have pointed out that the TMC led by G K Vasan had created a split in the Congress. The national party had also fared poorly in the 2011 Assembly elections and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Azad expressed satisfaction with the agreement and said  the alliance would be victorious and that Karunanidhi would head the government.
DMK treasurer M K Stalin said talks would be held by the election committees of the two parties on Monday evening to identify constituencies to be contested by the respective parties. TNCC president E V K S Elangovan and CLP chief Gopinath were also present at the talks on April 4.

The talks held by AICC observer Ghulam Nabi Azad with DMK chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai on March 25 were inconclusive as no immediate solution could be found on the number of seats to be contested by the Congress.

The DMK has allotted five seats each to the IUML and MMK, and three seats to other minor allies. 54 seats have so far been given to its allies.