DMK allots four seats to PT

DMK today allotted four seats to ally Puthiya Tamizhagam for the May 16 Assembly elections, thus giving away a total of 58 seats to alliance parties, including the 41 to Congress.
"Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) has been allotted four seats by DMK," party founder K Krishnasamy told reporters after clinching the deal with DMK President M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence here.
PT has given its wishlist of constituencies to DMK Treasurer MK Stalin and the two parties will discuss the matter on Friday, Krishnasamy said.
Stalin leads the DMK panel appointed to hold seat-sharing and related discussions with alliance parties.

Krishnasamy, who had aligned with the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK for the 2011 Assembly polls, expressed confidence that DMK will earn a massive win and Karunanidhi will be sworn in as Chief Minister.
An ally of AIADMK during the 2011 elections, PT had however later switched sides and supported DMK leader Kanimozhi's candidature during the 2013 Rajya Sabha elections.

PT had won two seats in the 2011 elections, with Krishnasamy himself representing Ottapidaram (SC) while his associate A Ramasamy won from Nilakottai (SC).
However, Ramasamy had later shifted loyalty to Jayalalithaa and had in February quit the party and joined AIADMK.

DMK is now left with 176 seats.
DMK had earlier allotted a total of five seats each to IUML and MMK, both Muslim parties, and one each to three smaller constituents.
Polls to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu are scheduled on May 16.