DMK to contest in 20 seats, 20 shared with allies: Stalin

Chennai, March 5 (IANS) DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said his party will contest in 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu and the remaining 20, including Puducherry's sole seat, had been allocated to allies.

Stalin told reporters here: "We have taken a decision whereby in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Congress would get nine seats in Tamil Nadu and the Puducherry seat, MDMK one Lok Sabha seat and one Rajya Sabha seat, CPI, CPI-M, VCK two Lok Sabha seats each and the IUML, IJK and KDMK one Lok Sabha seat each.

According to him, on Thursday, the party will discuss with allies the constituencies they would contest from.

Queried about the election symbol under which the MDMK would contest the Lok Sabha polls, Stalin said: "We have conveyed our feelings and our views. They will discuss and take a decision."

Stalin said he will address a DMK rally to be held on Wednesday at Virudhunagar.

According to him, the Virudhunagar rally was decided earlier and there was no possibility of the leaders of alliance parties taking part in that. However, local leaders of those parties will participate.

Stalin added that he would also attend a rally to be addressed separately by Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Stalin said the DMK election manifesto will be released once the election dates were announced.

According to him, the MMK was told about the DMK's inability to share any Lok Sabha seat this time but was requested to support the alliance candidates.