Lok Sabha Polls 2024: DMK gives 9 seats to Congress in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: The DMK and Congress seat-sharing arrangement is now finalised with the Congress getting nine seats in Tamil Nadu to contest during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The DMK also released a list of 21 seats, on which the DMK will contest. Tamil Nadu will go to polls on 19th April, where it will witness a triangular election with a close fight between DMK, AIADMK and Congress with BJP likely to churn the equation in a few seats. 

DMK has given the same six Lok Sabha seats to Congress that they won in 2019 namely Kanniyakumari, Krishnagiri, Karur, Sivaganga, Thiruvallur and Virudhunagar in addition to three new seats including Tirunelveli, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore in exchange for Theni, Tiruchirappalli and Arani. 

The DMK has allocated the Trichy seat to its alliance party, the MDMK, represented by MP Vaiko. Vaiko is anticipated to declare the candidature of his son for the Trichy seat, which was held by Congress for nearly two decades.

In two days, the DMK is likely to release the candidates' list. As per the DMK spokesperson, the final meeting on DMK candidates will take place today in Chennai. The MDMK, IUML and KMDK (DMK Symbol) have been given one seat each while VCK, CPM, and CPI have got two seats each in the Lok Sabha polls. 

In 2019, out of 39 Lok Sabha seats, 38 were won by the opposition in Tamil Nadu but with Annamalais padayatra and PM Modi's continuous focus in the south. 

This time, the winning dynamics in Tamil Nadu could slightly differ from those of 2019, particularly with Annamalai's emergence. The BJP's victory seems increasingly high, considering the developmental initiatives spearheaded by PM Modi and the focus on projects the central government has directed towards Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) Chief K Selvaperunthagai in an exclusive conversation with Republic said, “Almost all constituencies we requested have been given (to us). Only a couple (of them) have been changed, which we felt had a strong vote base and it could have been won. One reserved seat is already with the Congress. We will win all seats. Virudhnagar is a stronghold of Manickam Tagore and he is an already incumbent MP who is confident of winning as he has been working for the people there.”

He added, "Right now candidature is not announced. Congress, in a day or two, will release a list of candidates for Tamil Nadu seats but moreover, candidates in six to seven seats will remain the same as in 2019." 

He concluded, "In 2014, the BJP won in Kanyakumari therefore this seat has been the national party's seat. And, on one of Kanyakumari's seats, MLA Vijaydharini has recently resigned from Congress and joined BJP. The BJP is likely to announce her candidature against Vijay Vasanth, the Congress MP from Kanyakumari. The fight in Kanyakumari, Pudducherry, Sivaganga, and Virudhnagar is interesting as these seats have been retained by Congress in the past.

Congress MP from Kanyakumari Vijay Vasanth told Republic, “I am a Congress worker and I have been working effortlessly in my constituency. I have strong hopes that the party will again announce my candidature for the Kanyakumari seat. In 2019, my father H Vasanthakumar contested and won with a huge margin leaving others including AIADMK and BJP far behind in number. In 2021 after my father's death, I became MP from the Kanyakumari seat, since then this place has not only been my constituency but is also my home.”

He added, “The BJP in 2014 and 2019 had decent vote percentage but they thought their tactics of horsetrading in Kanyakumari could make them win. But, they are in delusion; several Congress karyakartas and one MLA from Kanyakumari jumped into the BJP ship but the fact of the matter remains that this place is Congress' stronghold.”

He added, ", My father gave his life to Kanyakumari and now I am following his path. From being disqualified from the Lok Sabha for raising issues against the BJP to being revoked, the people of Kanyakumari have seen our struggle. BJP's plan for the south will fall into the pit and their candidate will not secure a single vote from Kanyakumari. Rahul Gandhi's vision is Bharat Jodo while PM Modi's vision is 'Bharat Todo.'" 

He concluded, “The BJP dives into divided politics and people of Tamil Nadu are smart enough to sense that. Tamil Nadu is not any Hindi state, rather it is a state, which has been raising issues from language equality to caste equality. No voter in Tamil Nadu will fall for the BJP gimmicks. I can only say I have full faith that my party will give me a ticket again from Kanyakumari and we will win with a heavy majority.”

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram told Republic, "Congress has the full support of the public and that the Sivaganga seat is a stronghold of the Chidambaram clan. This time also I am confident that my candidature will be announced. The list will come by Wednesday and all suspense will be revealed."