Tamil Nadu: DMK finalises seat sharing with CPI(M), allots six Assembly seats

After protracted negotiations, the CPI(M) signed the agreement with the DMK on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after signing the pact, CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan, who had more than one occasion expressed dissatisfaction over the offer of seats made by the DMK and held a series of meetings with its office-bearers, said the party had agreed to the six seats with a view to defeat the AIADMK-BJP combine at the hustings.

"Evey party will like to contest more seats. We would have been happy if we had got more seats," he added. The BJP is known for toppling elected governments and the recent example is Puducherry, where it had three nominated members, he said, adding, such a situation should not arise to the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

The DMK, which is keen on contesting more seats in the 234-member Assembly, had already allotted 25 seats to the Congress, six each to the CPI, VCK, MDMK, three to IUML and two to MMK.

The DMK will be finalising the seat sharing agreement with the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi led by T Velmurugan and Kongu Desiya Makkal Katchi later today.

The Congress was also allotted the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat, where a bypoll would be held along with the Assembly polls, after the seat fell vacant due to the death of Congress MP H.Vasanthakumar due to Coronavirus.