CPI(M)'s constituencies identified

Chennai, Mar 18 (UNI) The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), heading the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu, today reached an agreement with the CPI(M) on identifying 13 constituencies allotted to it and said the process of identifying seats allotted to other allies would be completed in two or three days.

DMK President M Karunanidhi and CPI(M) state unit secretary N Varadarajan signed an agreement after identifying 13 seats allocated to the party, but the names of the constituencies would be announced only after the DMK identified seats for other allies, party sources said.

Meanwhile, Mr Karunanidhi, talking to waiting newspersons after CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat called on him at his Gopalapuram residence here, said the DMK would complete the process of identifying constituencies for its allies in two or three days.

Once the constituencies were identified, the candidates list would be released, the DMK Chief said, adding Congress leaders were expected to meet him tonight or tomorrow with the list of constituencies they wished to contest.

The Congress had been allotted 48 seats, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) 31, CPI(M) 13, CPI 10 and Indian Union Muslim League three.

Mr Karunanidhi described Mr Karat's visit as a courtesy call.

Emerging from the meeting, Mr Karat said he had to thank Mr Karunanidhi and extend the CPI(M)'s full cooperation in campaigning.

'I have come here to thank him (Mr Karunanidhi) for the way in which he brought all parties together so that they can jointly fight for DPA victory and the way in which he concluded the seat sharing,'' he said.

UNI GV/WS AA VD KN1502