Fully satisfied with list of constituencies, says Elangovan

That the high command has allocated Ambattur, Tirumangalam, Tiruchy (East), Madurai (North), Nannilalam, Nanguneri and Pattukottai to the Congress has even taken a few DMK old-timers by surprise. 

“These are seats where we (DMK) stand a good chance. I am really surprised how they convinced Kalaignar,” said a DMK functionary requesting anonymity. Allotment of Attur and Sankari, Coimbatore South, Namakkal, Sulur and Gobi in the west has raised many eyebrows in the DMK. Curiously, these are also areas where the AIADMK is strong. 

A few seats carefully nurtured by influential DMK members have also been allotted to Congress. For instance, Mahesh Poyyamozhi, the right hand man of Stalin and party youth wing deputy secretary who accompanied the DMK Treasurer all through the Namakku Naamey tour, had Tiruchy (East) reserved for him till TNCC president EVKS Elangovan read out the list in front of Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence. 

However, there were some easy Congress predictions like Mylapore for Khushbhu, Royapuram for Mano, Aranthangi for AICC secretary Thirunavukkarasar’s son, Kattumannarkoil (Reserve) for Maniratnam, Cheyyar for former MLA and Dr Krishnasamy’s son Vishnu Prasad, Sriperumbudur for AICC secretary Jayakumar or former deputy legislature party leader D Yasodha, Musiri for former Mayor Sujatha (Chidambaram supporter), Karaikudi and Karur for Jothimani. 

While the Congress managed to retain all its sitting seats, Colachel, Vilavankode, Killiyur,  Hosur and Pattukottai, the DMK was frugal in its allocation in the state capital. Only three seats, viz Mylapore, fishermen-rich Royapuram and Ambattur were allotted to Congress. 

Call it DMK generosity or Congress tough negotiation, president of a split Tamil Nadu Congress emerged a happy man. “I am fully satisfied with the seat allocation,” he told waiting reporters at Gopalapuram.

Tiruttani, Royapuram, Ambattur, Mylapore, Sriperumbudur, Maduravoyal, Arcot, Hosur Cheyyar, Kalasappakam, Attur, Sankari, Namakkal, Gobi, Ooty, Kangeyam, Dharapuram, Sulur Coimbatore South, Vedasandur, Karur, Tiruchy East, Musiri, Jayankondam, Kattumannarkoil (Reserve), Papanasam, Vedaranyam, Nannilam, Pattukottai, Aranthangai, Karaikudi, Madurai North, Tirumangalam, Mudukulathur, Sivakasi, Tenkasi, Nanguneri, Colachel, Vilavankode, Killiyur and Srivaikundam.