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Lok Sabha polls: DMK begins seat allotment to allies in Tamil Nadu

The seat-sharing agreement was signed by DMK chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin and leaders of alliance parties at the party headquarters.

PTI

Published Feb 25, 2024 | 12:10 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 25, 2024 | 12:10 AM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin Sri Lanka fishermen

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. (X)

Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK, a key constituent of the Opposition INDIA bloc, on Saturday, 24 February, allotted one Lok Sabha constituency each to two of its allies.

Weeks after initiating seat-sharing talks with allies for the April-May Lok Sabha polls, the seat-sharing agreement was signed by DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin and leaders of alliance parties at the party headquarters “Anna Arivalayam” in Chennai.

The main Opposition in the state, the AIADMK and the BJP, are yet to announce their allies.

IUML, KMDK allotted one seat each

While the DMK’s long-time ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) was allotted the Ramanathapuram segment in southern Tamil Nadu, the Dravidian party earmarked Namakkal constituency for the west-Tamil Nadu-based partner Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK).

KM Kader Mohideen, national president of the IUML said that his party’s incumbent MP from Ramanathapuram, Navas Kani, will be renominated to contest the LS polls.

Mohideen told reporters that his party requested a Rajya Sabha seat from the DMK during seat-sharing talks. The Dravidian party, however, said the seat-sharing exercise was confined to the Lok Sabha polls and questions related to RS elections may be taken up later, at the appropriate time.

Both IUML and KMDK have been allotted the same seats they were given in the 2019 LS polls.

Also Read: CEC begins review of preparedness for Lok Sabha poll in Tamil Nadu

KMDK general secretary Easwaran said that the nominee to be named by his party will contest in the DMK’s “Rising Sun” symbol.

In 2019, KMDK’s AKP Chinraj was elected from Namakkal in the DMK’s symbol.

The DMK is expected to finalise seat sharing with other allies, including the Congress, VCK, and Left parties soon.

TR Baalu, Tiruchi Siva, KN Nehru were among the DMK leaders present during the signing of pacts for the Lok Sabha polls.

(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)

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