With the candidates list of most political parties contesting in the Lok Sabha Elections in Tamil Nadu out, political leaders are kickstarting their election campaign. DMK President MK Stalin will begin his election tour on March 20 from Thiruvarur, the constituency that was represented by his father and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi.

DMK mouthpiece Murasoli released MK Stalin’s tour programme on Monday, covering all 39 Lok Sabha seats and 18 bye-poll seats in Tamil Nadu. The first phase of the campaign tour will begin on March 20 in Thiruvarur and end on April 6 in Arani.

He will campaign for Kalanithi Veeraswamy, the party candidate for Chennai North on March 24 and for DM Kathir Anand, who is contesting from Vellore on March 31. Stalin will then go on to campaign for Thamizhachi Thangapandian in Chennai South on April 1 and for former Union Minister A Raja in Nilgiris district on April 2. He will reach Kallakurichi on April 5 and show his support to Gautham Sigamani, the Kallakurichi candidate.  

The DMK announced its list of candidates for Lok Sabha and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly bye-polls for 18 constituencies on Sunday. Apart from fielding former Union Ministers like A Raja, Dayanidhi Maran and TR Baalu in the Lok Sabha polls, the party has also given tickets to 13 debutantes.

DMK is a part of the Secular Progressive Alliance consisting of the Congress, Thol Thirumavalavan’s Vidhuthalai Chiruthagal Katchi (VCK), Vaiko’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) and the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK).

While Congress has been allotted 10 Lok Sabha seats including the lone Puducherry constituency, CPI, CPI(M) and VCK have been granted two seats each. One seat each has been allotted to MDMK, KDMK, IJK and IUML.