DMK may contest over 180 seats after 15 years

CHENNAI: The DMK, gearing up for seat sharing talks with allies, including Congress, is planning to contest more than 180 seats after 15 years to boost the victory chances of the party by taking on AIADMK in most seats. The DMK fielded candidates only in 124 constituencies during 2011 Assembly elections and 132 seats when it formed a mega alliance in 2006 Assembly polls. In 2001, the party fought in 183 seats, which is just one seat more  than in 1996 when it contested in 182 seats.

Now, with the ruling AIADMK getting ready to contest in more than 200 seats, the DMK leadership feels that it should gear up for direct fight with the ruling party in at least 170 seats to deny chances of AIADMK having an easy time fighting with opponents of lesser strength, party sources said.  Besides, there are not much allies in the  DMK front, except Congress, which can get 30 to 35 seats. The Congress was given 63 seats in the 2011 Assembly elections, but won only a handful and the AIADMK front had a cakewalk in the other 58 constituencies.

The DMK wants to avoid a similar situation this time and do not want to give Congress more than what it can manage. Besides, the vote share of Congress which was 15.03 per cent  in 2009 Parliamentary elections had come down to 4.33 per cent in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The national party had suffered a split after 2014 elections. The poll saw the party securing less than two per cent votes in 29 Assembly segments and less than three per cent in 54 segments.

The DMK also does not want to part with too many seats to  smaller outfits as most of them lost the seats in 2001 Assembly polls, when DMK cobbled up a front of caste outfits.  The party cadre will see the ‘rising sun’ symbol in most seats in each district as the party will test its strength throughout the State after 2001. The highest number of seats the party contested in Assembly elections was in 1977 when it put up candidates in 230 constituencies and the lowest was in next Assembly elections in 1980 when it fielded nominees in just 112 seats.

DMK conspiring to break PWA:

Senior CPI leader D. Pandian on Thursday  accused DMK of conspiring to break People’s Welfare Alliance by spreading rumours that his party would join hands with AIADMK. Speaking to reporters here, he dismissed the reports alleging that CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan held a secret meeting with him to break PWA and to patch up with AIADMK for an alliance.

Pandian said that alliance talks were held with AIADMK during the last Parliamentary polls as per the party’s central leadership’s decision. “However, they unilaterally declared candidates for all the 39 Lok Sabha seats. We did not take any steps to reconcile with AIADMK as there was no need for it,” he explained. Alleging that DMK is conspiring to break PWA, he said, “Their wait for fruit to ripen ended in the vain. Now they are dreaming to break our alliance. Only their dream will break. People who are wishing for a change will vote for PWA and the alliance will continue even after the polls,” he said.

Veteran CPI leader said that both AIADMK and DMK leaders were facing corruption cases. “People are still angry with DMK for its involvement in 2G scam and it will be reflected in election,” he said, adding that PWA has emerged as an alternative to the Dravidian parties in the state. When asked why he was not participating in PWA meetings, Pandian, who was perceived to be close to AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, said that due to bad health he was taking rest and confining to take care of party’s organ.

To a question on AIADMK leadership holding alliance talks with CPI’s central leadership, he said he would reply if they could identify those who held talks. To another query, he said that PWA was confident of capturing power with the people’s support.