Tamil Nadu assembly polls: Congress to contest in 41 seats after seat-sharing agreement with DMK

Congress will contest in 41 seats in Tamil Nadu in the May 16 assembly election in alliance with DMK, both parties agreed on Monday.

The parties struck the deal at a meeting senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mukul Wasnik had with DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence here in the morning.

“We have signed for 41 seats. The rest will be distributed, and major share will go to DMK,” Azad told reporters after the meeting.

“AIADMK has never won two consecutive terms. So now it is turn of DMK to form government,” he said.

DMK treasurer M K Stalin said the seat-sharing committee would meet this evening to identify the constituencies for Congress.

In all, DMK has allotted 54 seats to its allies Congress 41; MMK and IUML 5 each. N R Dhanapalan’s Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi, Pon Kumar’s TN Peasants and Workers Party and former IAS officer Sivakami’s Samuga Samathuva Padai got one seat each from DMK. These parties will contest in DMK symbol – rising sun.