Tamil Nadu elections: Congress allotted 25 seats in DMK-led alliance

Congress to also contest LS bypoll from vacant kanyakumari seat; DMK allots 6 seats to CPI, 6 more seats to MDMK

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Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri on Sunday announced that the party has reached a seat-sharing pact with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and will contest 25 assembly seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections.

"We have signed a seat-sharing agreement with DMK. Congress will contest in 25 assembly seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu election and in the by-election to the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat," said Alagiri.

The meeting was held at DMK headquarters on Sunday morning.

Udayanidhi Stalin, son of DMK President MK Stalin and DMK Youth Wing Secretary, is seeking a ticket to contest from the Chennai-Chepauk assembly constituency.

Udayanidhi Stalin was also interviewed by the DMK election committee at party headquarters yesterday. Congress will also contest Lok Sabha bypoll from the vacant Kanyakumari seat. DMK also allotted 6 seats to CPI, 6 more seats to MDMK. Total seats allocated by DMK to its allies are 48 while it will be contesting from 186 seats. 

Speaking to the media, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Congress in-charge of Tamil Nadu said, "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) entering into an alliance with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), its intention is to finish off AIADMK."

"They want to kill all opposition parties and have 'one party-one man rule' in the country. Congress, DMK, Left, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) will sweep these elections," he added.

The 234-members Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will be done on May 2.

Ruling AIADMK is contesting the polls in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP.

DMK has joined hands with Congress. This time actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan's party Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) is also in the fray.