Cong to contest in 16 Chennai wards, gives 50 pc seats to women

Enhanced allocation for women suggests that Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) has replicated its Uttar Pradesh unit where the national party is fielding women in 50 per cent of the seats in the Assembly elections.

The state Congress is understood to have bargained hard with the DMK, which was earlier adamant not to apportion not more than six per cent seats. However, the Dravidian major has now conceded eight per cent seats to the national party, around the same number allocated to it during the earlier rural local body elections.

Senior Congress leader and former union finance minister P Chidambaram wished the alliance candidates well in the February 19 urban local body elections. In a message posted on his official Twitter handle, “Today is the last day of filing of nominations for the urban local body elections. My wishes to Congress and alliance candidates. Some Congressmen have not been given an opportunity. It does not mean they do not deserve it. Some inevitable circumstances arise while abiding by alliance dharma.”

“I request everyone to abide by alliance dharma and work for the victory of all candidates of the alliance. I will campaign from February 12 to 18,” he tweeted before announcing his campaign for the polls.