CHENNAI: The AIADMK has stolen a march on its rival, the DMK, by releasing the full constituency-wise allocation for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners for the Assembly polls on April 23.
Alongside the allocation, it announced a 297-point election manifesto and its first list of candidates. Party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will once again contest from his home constituency, Edappadi, in an effort to enthuse the cadre to take on the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.
Of the 234 Assembly constituencies, the AIADMK will contest 169 seats, leaving 65 to its seven partners, including the BJP. This swift move comes even as the DMK, despite completing seat-sharing talks, is yet to unveil its manifesto or finalise constituency-wise allocations.
Significantly, the AIADMK has allocated 14 constituencies currently held by DMK Ministers to its allies. These include Tiruchirappalli West, Saidapet, Tiruchendur, and Avadi. The seats have been distributed among the PMK, AMMK, TMC, IJK, and the BJP.
In a notable decision, the AIADMK allotted the reserved Avinashi constituency, won by former Speaker P Dhanapal in 2021, to the BJP. The move follows reports that his son recently joined Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The party also gave five of the six Assembly seats in Kanniyakumari district to the BJP, retaining only the Kanniyakumari seat for former Minister Thalavai Sundaram.
In Chennai, the AIADMK has retained 13 of the 16 constituencies, allotting one each to the BJP (Mylapore), PMK (Perambur), and AMMK (Saidapet). Actor Vijay is expected to contest from Perambur. However, the AIADMK rejected the BJP’s demand for Virugambakkam, Velachery and Harbour.
Interestingly, Tirunelveli and Coimbatore South, from where Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran and Vanathi Srinivasan won in 2021, were not allotted to the saffron party. Instead, the BJP gets Sattur and Coimbatore North. Despite speculation regarding K Annamalai, Singanallur was not given to the BJP.
The first list of 23 candidates underscores a reliance on experience; while 20 are former ministers, 16 are sitting MLAs.