DMK on the verge of announcing seat sharing with allies for 2019 polls

The DMK Monday inched closer to finalising a seat sharing pact with its allies for the coming Lok Sabha elections by allotting two Lok Sabha constituencies each to the CPI and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and continued talks with others. Days after finalising seat sharing with parties, including the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League, the DMK today clinched electoral deals with the fledgling Indiya Jananayaga Katchi as well, besides the CPI and VCK.

The IJK will contest from one constituency in its "Rising sun" symbol, the DMK said in an official release here. Formal electoral agreements were signed between the leadership of the DMK and the CPI, VCK, and the IJK.

The IJK was part of the BJP-led front in Tamil Nadu in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and its top leader Pari Vendhar had said on Saturday that his party cannot be part of the AIADMK-saffron party combine, since the PMK was part of it, which had allegedly troubled his party in the past. While VCK was part of the DMK front in 2014, CPI faced polls in association with its ideological sibling the CPI(M).

The two Communist parties together fought 18 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and drew a blank. The DMK, keen to post an electoral rebound in the wake of debacles since 2011, has already allotted nine seats to the Congress in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry.

One segment each has been allocated to the IUML and the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi and the latter too would fight polls in the DMK's "Rising Sun" symbol. The Stalin-led party is continuing talks with parties, including MDMK and the CPI(M) and seat sharing with them is expected to be finalised in a few days.

(With inputs from agencies.)