DMK allies mount pressure for more seats ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly election

CHENNAI: Some of the DMK allies are mounting last minute pressure seeking additional seats in the alliance. After Velmurugan's Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, CPM has stuck to its demand of more seats.

"We want more than six seats that we contested last time. We are not content with six seats, lt alone agreeing for a reduction in seats. We informed our stand to DMK,'' CPM state secretary P Shanmugam told ToI. He said the DMK has called for another round of alliance talks on Tuesday. ``We hope that the seats will be finalised in a day or two," he said.




In the 2021 assembly election, CPM contested six seats and won two seats. The DMK has urged CPM to agree for lesser number of seats just like other allies as new partners had to be accomodated in the alliance.

The CPI, meanwhile, has convened a meeting of the party's executive committee on Tuesday. Though CPI has said that they would not bargain hard for more seats, the final decision on the number of seats would be decided at the meeting.

"Initially, we demanded seven seats - one more than the seats allotted to us in 2021 election. But DMK wanted us to settle for five seats,'' CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said. ``We will take a call on the number of seats during our executive meeting meeting,'' he said. Veerapandian, however, said that CPI's main agenda was to defeat BJP, and hence will not leave the DMK alliance.

VCK has also been demanding additional seats. Though DMK had allotted six seats each for left parties, VCK and MDMK in 2021 election, leaders of VCK have been urging DMK not to club them with other allies. VCK general secretary Sinthanai Selvan said they are expecting atleast 10 seats this time.

DMK said it was aware of the concerns of its allies and an amicable settlement would be reached. "It is usual for political parties to seek additional seats during the election, especially in a victorious alliance. We will ensure that the seat-sharing talks are completed amicably at the earliest," DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan said.