CHENNAI: With all 16 Assembly constituencies in Chennai district won by the DMK and its allies in the 2021 Assembly elections, the AIADMK is said to be weighing a strategy of allocating a larger share of city seats to its alliance partners in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Sources said the AIADMK is considering allotting more than five constituencies in Chennai to allies. However, key partners such as the PMK and the TMC have reportedly conveyed that they are not keen on contesting in the city.
Citing the strong presence of the DMK-led alliance in Chennai, the AIADMK has decided to offer constituencies where it may not easily win to alliance partners. Among the NDA constituents, the BJP alone has expressed interest in contesting in the city and is learnt to have sought four seats.
The BJP has asked for constituencies including T Nagar, Velachery, Mylapore, Virugambakkam, Harbour and Villivakkam. However, the AIADMK is said to have agreed to allot only Harbour and Villivakkam to the party.
Sources said the BJP has not accepted the offer and is insisting that at least two constituencies among T Nagar, Velachery, Mylapore and Virugambakkam be allotted to it.
Meanwhile, the PMK has made it clear that it does not want seats in Chennai and is instead seeking constituencies in districts such as Cuddalore, Villupuram, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Salem, particularly targeting seats currently held by the AIADMK.
The TMC is learnt to be seeking seats only in the Erode and Thanjavur regions. Smaller alliance parties, which are likely to get one or two seats each, have also declined to contest in Chennai.
Amid these developments, BJP leader Piyush Goyal is expected to visit Chennai on Thursday. Sources said seat-sharing arrangements within the NDA are likely to be finalised in the coming days following his visit.