DMK finalises seat sharing with allies

Chennai, Mar 9 (UNI) The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), heading the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu, has finalised seat sharing agreements with all its allies, except the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), for the May 8 assembly poll.

DMK President M Karunanidhi, who signed an agreement with the Congress, allotting a maximum of 48 seats to the party, told newspersons that the party would sign an agreement with PMK tomorrow.

Like the Congress, the Left parties and the IUML, the PMK would also be happy after reaching an agreement, he said.

Answering a question, Mr Karunanidhi said the DMK had made some sacrifices while allocating seats to its allies and hoped that its sacrifice would be suitably rewarded.

The DMK had allotted two seats more to the Congress, which was given 46 seats, when it had contested the 2001 assembly elections in alliance with the AIADMK.

The AIADMK had allotted 46 seats to the now defunct Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and the Congress combine. Out of that the TMC had allotted one seat to the Republican Party of India (RPI). While the TMC won 22 seats of the 31 seats it had contested, the Congress could win only seven of the 14 seats it contested. The TMC subsequently merged with the Congress.

After several rounds of talks, Mr Karunanidhi reached agreements with the Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) today, allocating 13 seats to the CPI(M) and three seats to the IUML. It had reached an agreement with the CPI last evening, allotting it ten seats. The CPI(M) and CPI had contested eight seats in alliance with the AIADMK in the 2001 assembly elections. The CPI(M) had won six seats and the CPI five. It was agreed that the IUML would contest on DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol.

TNCC President M Krishnasamy, CPI(M) state unit Secretary N Varadarajan and IUML state unit President Kadher Mohideen said that the seat sharing talks were held in a very cordial manner and all sides were content over the final.

The DMK was supposed to sign an agreement with the PMK yesterday.

But when they failed to reach a pact, arose that there were some hitches.

However, scotching rumours, PMK leader Dr Ramadoss said that the talks were progressing in a cordial manner and the party would soon sign an agreement.

In the event of PMK getting 31 seats, the DMK would have to be content with 129 seats, excluding the three seats, it had allotted to the IUML, which would contest on DMK symbol.

If the Makkal Tamizh Desam headed by former AIADMK Minister M Kannappan merges with the DMK, the latter would still have to allott atleast one seat each to the Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam led by Dr Sethuraman and MGR Kazhagam led by former Minsiter R M Veerappan. But they would also be contesting on DMK symbol.

UNI