DMK Allots 10 Seats To DMDK Despite Minimal Vote Share Presence

· Free Press Journal

Chennai: After driving a hard bargain with its long time allies, literally making them feel politically restricted, the ruling DMK on Tuesday evening ended up allotting 10 seats to the late Vijaykant’s DMDK, a party with a diminished vote share of less than 0.5%, which recently came on board the Secular Progressive Alliance. This allocation was in addition to the Rajya Sabha berth it was given earlier this month despite not having a single legislator in the outgoing Assembly.

The DMK had earlier played hard ball with its long time allies including the two Left parties allotting them only five seats each, which was one less than what they were given in the 2021 Assembly elections. The CPI-M, under pressure from its State secretariat members, had repeatedly come to the DMK’s ‘take it or leave it’ negotiation table asking for at least six seats. But DMK leader and Chief Minister M K Stalin remained firm citing the entry of newer allies. Left with no option, the CPI-M had agreed to the five-seat deal on Monday with its State secretary Shanmugam publicly declaring, “We are not satisfied with this allocation but have accepted it.”.

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On Tuesday, the DMK, however, allotted another old ally, the VCK eight seats, up by two from its last allocation.

Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan, felt constrained by the DMK’s hard bargain, and declared his party will not contest in the elections but instead support the DMK alliance.

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The DMK had also asked several of its allies to contest on its ‘Rising Sun’ symbol. Vaiko’s MDMK, which was allotted four seats, had agreed to contest three on the ‘Rising Sun’ symbol and one on its own symbol.

The Congress was earlier given 28 seats.

The DMK is now almost done with the exercise of seat allocation and most likely 175 constituencies will see candidates contest on the ‘Rising Sun’ symbol.

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