AIADMK-BJP alliance releases seat-sharing deal in Tamil Nadu, leaves 14 seats for regional allies

Nearly a month after announcing their alliance with the BJP and other regional parties, the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Sunday released the distribution of constituencies to be contested by it and its allies for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. While the AIADMK will contest on 20 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP would be fielding its candidates in 5 constituencies.

Talking about other regional parties, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) will field their nominees from seven and four Lok Sabha constituecnies respectively. The Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) and the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) will be in fray from one Lok Sabha constituency each.

The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam in a joint press conference held by the BJP, AIADMK, PMK and the DMDK on Sunday. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP leaders Tamilisai Soundarajan and H Raja and New Justice Party's (NJP’s) chief AC Shanmugam also took part in the press briefing. However, the alliance partners are yet to disclose the names of the candidates who will be contesting the General Elections 2019 in Tamil Nadu from these seats.

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The constituencies where the AIADMK will field its candidates include Salem, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Erode, Karur, Thiruppur, Pollachi, Arani, Thiruvannamalai, Chidambaram, Perambalur, Theni, Madurai, Nilagiri, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Mayiladururai, Thiruvallur, Chennai south and Perambalur.

The PMK will be contesting from Dharmapuri, Vizhupuram, Arakkanom, Cuddalor, central Chennai, Sriperambadur, Dindugal, and BJP on Kanyakumari,Sivagangai, Kovai,Tutucorin, Ramanadhaputam. 

The DMDK, on the other hand, will field its nominees from Chennai north, Virudhunagar, Trichy, Kallakuruchi, while Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) headed by GK Vasan will field candidates from Tanjore, Puthiya Tamiligam in Thenkasi. Puthiya Needhi Katchi and NR Congress will be in fray from Vellore and Puducherry respectively.

Single-phase polling in Tamil Nadu is scheduled to take place on April 18 for its 39 parliamentary constituencies. The counting of votes for seven-phase Lok Sabha Elections will be taken up on May 23.