Nearly a month after the DMK and Congress finalised their poll pact for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Madhacharbatra Murpokku Kootani (Secular Progressive Alliance) has announced the seat-sharing arrangement for the 39 parliamentary constituencies across the state as well as Puducherry. The party met with its alliance partners at its Anna Arivalayam headquarters in Chennai’s Teynampet on Friday.
Speaking to media persons, DMK President MK Stalin made mention of the fact that prior to deciding upon the constituencies, the DMK, along with its allies came up with a resolution to institute a court-monitored CBI probe to deliver justice to the survivor in the sexual abuse of a college student from Pollachi.
The DMK will be contesting from Chennai South, Chennai North, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram(SC), Arakkonam, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Thiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Salem, Nilgiris(SC), Pollachi, Dindigul, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi(SC), and Tirunelveli.
The Congress will be contesting from Thiruvallur(SC), Krishnagiri, Arani, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Sivaganga, Theni, Virudhunagar, Kanyakumari, and the union territory of Puducherry.
The CPI has been assigned two seats in Nagapattinam(SC) and Tiruppur, while the CPI(M) had been given Coimbatore and Madurai.
Thol Thirumavalavan’s VCK has been allotted the Chidambaram(SC) and Villupuram(SC) seats that the party had sought. Meanwhile, MDMK has been allotted Erode. The IUML will contest from Ramanathapuram, KMDK from Namakkal and IJK from Perambalur.
The state’s main opposition party, the DMK had given 10 seats to Congress including the seat in Puducherry and another 10 seats to its other allies. In its combine are CPI(2), CPI(M) (2), VCK (2), MDMK (1), IUML (1), KMDK (1) and IJK (1). Thus, the DMK will be contesting from the remaining 20 seats in the upcoming elections. DMK has, however, asked all its allies to contest from the party’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol. This request has been accepted by IJK and KDMK while Thirumavalavan’s VCK and Vaiko’s MDMK parties are still deliberating the decision.
In addition to the Lok Sabha polls all set to take place on Thursday, April 18, bye-polls to 18 assembly seats would also take place on the same date.
The constituencies that will go to polls on April 18 are Poonamallee (SC), Perambur, Thiruporur, Sholingur, Gudiyattham (SC), Ambur, Hosur, Pappireddippatti, Harur (SC), Nilakkottai (SC), Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Manamadurai (SC), Andipatti, Periyakulam (SC), Sattur, Paramakudi (SC) and Vilathikulam.
The results would be announced on May 23.