The DMK, on Monday, signed seat-sharing pacts with CPI (M) for six Assembly seats and for one seat each with the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK), Adhi Tamilar Peravai (ATP) and Makkal Viduthakai Katchi (MVK). Candidates from the last three parties will contest on the ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, as per the agreement.
In all, so far, with the seats allotted to the other parties in the alliance — Congress, MDMK, VCK, CPI — the DMK will contest in 187 seats of 234, including the seats which alliance partners (MDMK - 6, MMK - 1, TVK - 1, ATP - 1, MVK-1) three seats as agreed on Monday) will contest on the Rising Sun symbol. Sources said a few more seats might be alloted to smaller partners in the coming days.
Also read: Tamil Nadu Assembly polls | DMK not to blame for allotting less seats to Congress: P. Chidambaram
DMK’s agreement with the CPI(M) comes after tough negotiations from both sides. On Saturday, after the second round of talks, CPI(M) state secretary K Balakrishnan had said the seats on offer were inadequate. Speaking to reporters after signing the pact in presence of DMK president MK Stalin and other senior leaders from both parties, Mr. Balakrishnan said the party had agreed to the offer of six seats with the sole objective of defeating the BJP-AIADMK alliance.
He alleged that the BJP had toppled the Puducherry government, even with only a few representatives in the Assembly. “We have to ensure that BJP does not gain in-roads into Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Balakrishnan added.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021
DMK has already allocated 25 assembly seats to Congress and additionally the Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha bypoll seat, six each to VCK, Communist Party of India, MDMK (which will contest in Rising Sun symbol), 2 seats to Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (one of which will be contested on Rising Sun symbol) and three seats to the Indian Union Muslim League.
