Chennai: AIADMK is set to contest in 169 seats in the April 23 polls, 10 fewer than the previous assembly election. The party has retained the lion’s share of constituencies in its western stronghold ceding eight of the 54 seats in the region to its allies, but has allotted a larger number of seats to allies in the northern, central and southern districts.Of the 55 seats in 10 districts of southern Tamil Nadu, where it performed abysmally in 2021 assembly election, AIADMK had allotted 19 to its allies. This includes five for AMMK, which is banking on thevar votes in southern districts and 11 for BJP. In Kanyakumari, AIADMK has retained one of six seats, allotting four to BJP and one to G K Vasan’s Tamil Maanila Congress. AIADMK has also retained Tiruparankundram and Palani, two places of religious significance, though it has allotted Tiruchendur, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan to BJP . PMK led by Anbumani Ramadoss, which was allotted 18 seats, managed to get most of the seats from its northern stronghold. It was also allotted Perambur where TVK president Vijay is touted to contest. The other seats allotted to allies were Mylapore (BJP), Ambattur (PMK) and Poonamallee (AMMK). AIADMK sources said the party would field strong candidates to take on the DMK front in Chennai. AMMK has been given seats across the northern, delta, and southern regions, and one in the western belt (Madathukulam). AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has ceded two constituencies — Salem (West) and Salem (North) — to PMK from his home turf of Salem, which has sizeable vanniyar votes.“The seat sharing has been completed,” EPS said on Wednesday at the party headquarters in the presence of alliance leaders, including Nainar Nagenthran, Anbumani Ramadoss and T T V Dhinakaran. On minor partners’ wish to contest under BJP’s lotus symbol, EPS said that, unlike the DMK front, the AIADMK-led alliance was democratic and the decision was up to to the leaders of the constituent parties.G K Vasan’s TMC has been given seats considered tough. Of the five seats allotted to it, three — Oddanchatram, Erode West, and Ranipet — are held by DMK ministers R Sakkarapani, S Muthusamy, and R Gandhi. The party will also face three-time MLA Sakkottai G Anbazhagan in Kumbakonam and Congress floor leader S Rajeshkumar in Kiliyur. “Everyone in our alliance is strong. We are not bothered about those who are confined to their house,” said EPS responding to a question whether AIADMK had allotted Perambur to PMK, unwilling to take on Vijay.
