Seat-sharing talks between Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections have been finalised.
DMK will hold on to 20 seats while the other 20 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be divided amongst the allies. Congress will have 10 seats, while CPI(M), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) will have two seats each and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KDMK), Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) will have 1 seat each. MDMK, headed by Vaiko will have one Lok Sabha seat and one Rajya Sabha seat.
DMK President MK Stalin addressed media persons outside their party head office Arivalayam in Chennai and announced the confirmed allies who will stand by him to take down the AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance.
CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan called for a party meeting early today, regarding the Lok Sabha elections 2019, where the alliance was finalised.
“DMK had conveyed that they had allocated 2 seats for us. So we held a discussion today regarding this. We believe we need to fight against BJP-AIADMK-PMK in the state and so we would like to do that along with DMK in all constituencies. Initially, we had also asked for 2 seats which was offered by DMK. So, we happily agree for this alliance with DMK,” said Balakrishnan.
“If this alliance works, we would extend our support even during the local elections,” he added.
Since the DMK has accommodated many allies this year, it has reduced the parent party’s share of seats. Sources say VCK and MDMK are likely to contest from DMK’s party symbol.
DMDK to Decide Which Way to Sway
Meanwhile, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) headed by Vijayakanth held a party meeting at their party headquarters in Koyambedu on Tuesday to decide the course of action for the 2019 polls.
DMDK led by actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth has kept both the Dravidian parties guessing as to whom he will be extending his support. The two parties have been meeting the leader at his residence in order to woo him.
Sources said talks with DMK collapsed after they couldn’t offer more than two seats. Even discussions with AIADMK weren’t conclusive initially, as DMDK demanded as many as seven seats as given to Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), sources said.
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