DMK-Cong front finalises seats among constituents

CHENNAI:The battle lines in Tamil Nadu became thicker on Sunday after the DMK-led frontreleased the list of seats to be contested by its constituents and the AIADMKallotted three seats to the CPI. But the AIADMK's talks with CPM and MDMK weremired in differences and remained inconclusive till late in thenight.The constituencies earmarked for the Congress will ensure thatits senior MPs, including Union ministers, get their favoured seats. The DMKwill field its candidates in all the seats in Chennai and its suburbs for theMay 13 last-phase polls.Among the 16 seats allotted to the Congress,the DMK has made it easier for Congress leaders like P Chidambaram, ManishankarIyer, EVKS Elangovan, R Prabhu and TNCC president Thangkabalu by grantingSivaganga, Mayiladuthurai, Tirupur, Coimbatore and Salem seats. Interestingly,the Congress has a few more prominent urban constituencies in Tiruchi, Erode,Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Puducherry. In fact, eight of the constituencies theCongress will contest from are major cities.Fresh from its exit fromthe Congress fold, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will face the DMK in fivedirect contests and the Congress in one. The five big DMK-PMK fights will be atSriperumbudur, Arakkonam, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi all in thenorthern districts. The PMK will be locked in battle with the Congress andViduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) in one seat each. Both were PMK's alliesuntil a few days ago.DMK president and the front's leader MKarunanidhi released the constituencies' list at the party headquarters. Inkeeping with the perception that Chennai is a DMK stronghold, the party hasretained the three LS constituencies in Chennai -- North, South and Central.Theruling party will also contest from neighbouring Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur(reserved), constituencies that cover population in the city'ssuburbs.The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) will contest fromChidambaram and Villupuram (reserved) constituencies. VCK leader TholThirumavalavan is the likely candidate in Chidambaram. As in the last Lok Sabhaelections, IUML will field its candidate from Velloreconstituency.DMK has Madurai LS constituency where party strongman MK Azhagiri has sought a seat. It will contest from Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudiand Kanniyakumari from southern districts. The Congress has Virudhunagar, Theni,Tenkasi (res) and Tirunelveli down south. The DMK, however, has opted for Karur,Perambalur and Thanjavur constituencies in the central districts where its cadrebase could be counted. In the west, the DMK will contest from Pollachi, Namakkaland Nilgiris (res), the last apparently for union IT minister A Raja.AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa allotted North Chennai,Nagapattinam (SC) and Tenkasi (SC) to the CPI, but CPM and MDMK were apparentlyunhappy with both the number of seats they got and the constituencies on offer.After several hours of discussions, MDMK general secretary Vaiko and CPI statesecretary D Pandian came out of her residence and said parleys wouldcontinue.