The DMK on Tuesday completed seat-sharing with two of its allies - Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) and Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) - allotting them one seat each.
No agreement could be reached with the Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), as there are some hitches over allocation of constituencies.
As per an agreement signed separately between DMK leader M. Karunanidhi and leaders of the MMK, the party will contest from Mayiladuthurai Lok Sabha constituency, which has a substantial presence of Muslims.
Puthiya Tamizhagam, led by K. Krishnasamy, has been allotted Tenkasi (reserved) constituency.
When a team of IUML leaders, led by its State president K.M. Kader Mohideen, met the DMK leaders in the morning, his party was asked to contest from Ramanathapuram instead of Vellore constituency, which it won two times in the past.
But the party has requested the DMK to allot one of the constituencies - Vellore, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli and Mayiladuthurai - from its wish list.
“We wanted two seats, but have to be content with one. We will again come in the evening to finalise the seat,” Mr. Kader Mohideen told reporters at Anna Arivalayam.
In the evening, he visited the DMK office along with Union Minister and IUML national president E. Ahamed and met senior DMK leaders.
“He [Mr. Ahamed] told them that the IUML would always be with the DMK. He also said that it would be nice if the Congress was also part of the alliance,” said Mr Kader Mohideen.
The DMK is not able to allot Vellore to the IUML as it has plans to field Kadir Anand, son of former Minister Durai Murugan.
It also does not want to part with Tiruchi as only last month it organised its 10 State conference there in a grand manner.
Mayiladuthurai has already been allotted to the MMK and the DMK has also chosen a candidate for Tirunelveli.
The IUML has reservations about Ramanathapuram constituency since the ruling AIADMK has already fielded former Minister Anwar Raja.
VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan met Mr. Karunanidhi and the DMK’s election committee and submitted a wish list of three reserved constituencies and two general constituencies.
“We will continue talks tomorrow,” Mr. Thirumavalavan told reporters, when asked about the response from the DMK leaders for his demand.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the VCK contested in Chidambaram and Villupuram reserved constituencies and Mr. Thirumavalavan won the Chidambaram seat.
Now, the VCK has asked the DMK leadership for Dharmapuri and Periyakulam, the two general constituencies besides the Kancheepuram reserved constituency.
Solid vote bank in Dharmapuri“We have a solid vote bank in Dharmapuri and polled substantial votes in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. Now, after the attack on Dalits, our votes have consolidated,” said a VCK leader.
