The seat-sharing exercise between the DMK and the Congress for the May 16 Assembly polls concluded on Thursday with the latter signing a deal on the 41 constituencies it will contest as part of the alliance. The constituencies, spread across 28 districts, reflected the choice of different factions within the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC). No seats were allotted in Theni, Dharmapuri, Villupuram and Perambalur districts.
The Congress will take on the AIADMK in 40 seats and actor Sarath Kumar, who is contesting on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, in Tenkasi. The party has managed to retain many of its strongholds, including all five constituencies from where its representatives were elected in 2011 (two of them are now in the TMC camp). There were also a few big misses from the list of 61 preferred seats it submitted to the DMK for consideration.
Unlike 2011, the identification process took only two meetings with the DMK leaders. On Thursday, TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan announced the list after meeting DMK president M. Karunanidhi at the latter’s Gopalapuram residence. “We are very happy with the seat allocated to us,” he declared.
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In Chennai city limits, the party has been allotted four constituencies including Mylapore, Royapuram, Ambattur and Maduravoyal. Congress sources said the party desperately wanted Anna Nagar for N. Rangabashyam, a close associate of Mr. Elangovan, but the DMK refused to part with it. Between 1996 and 2011, Anna Nagar was represented by DMK heavyweight Arcot N. Veerasamy, who has since retired from electoral politics. The seat is currently held by Handlooms Minister Gokula Indira, who will try her luck again this time. The Mylapore seat was preferred by former TNCC president K.V. Thangkabalu. The P. Chidambaram faction could also stake claim for the seat for former Deputy Mayor Karate Thiagarajan, as Velachery from where he reportedly was keen on contesting has not been allotted to the Congress.
Most seats where scions of Congress heavyweights are expected to contest have been clinched. For example, former TNCC president M. Krishnasswamy’s son M.K. Vishnu Prasad is expected to be fielded in Cheyyar, which he represented during 2006-11.
Senior leader Su. Thirunavukkarasar’s son Ramachandran will enter the fray in Aranthangi, once his father’s fortress, whereas veteran K.R. Ramasamy Ambalam’s son Karia Manickam may get Karaikudi. The biggest miss in this line-up seems to be Sivaganga, which Jayasimha, son of former Union Minister Sudarsana Natchiappan, reportedly wanted.
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Congress sources claimed that some crucial urban constituencies like Tambaram, Madurai Central and Tirupur South have been denied. The DMK has also rejected the demand for the Kanyakumari seat.
Sources indicated that multiple factions were eyeing specific seats and this might result in a clash within the TNCC. Immediately after the announcement, youth congress leader S. Jothimani took to Facebook to express her displeasure at the party not getting the Aravakurichi seat and said she would continue to campaign there. “I hope the Congress will take the right decision,” she said.
Seats allotted for Congress
Tiruttani, Ambattur, Royapuram, Mylapore, Sriperumbudur (SC), Maduravoyal, Arcot, Hosur, Kalasapakkam, Cheyyar, Athur (SC), Sankagiri, Namakkal, Gobichettipalayam, Udhagamandalam, Kangeyam, Dharapuram (SC), Sulur, Coimbatore (South), Vedasandur, Karur, Tiruchy (East), Musuri, Jeyamkondan, Kattumannarkoil (SC), Vedaranyam, Nannilam, Papanasam, Pattukotai, Aranthangi, Karaikudi, Madurai (North), Tirumangalam, Sivakasi, Muthukulathur, Thiruvaikundam, Tenkasi, Nanguneri, Colachel, Vilavangode and Killiyur.