MK Stalin's DMK releases list of candidates for Tamil Nadu polls; son Udhayanidhi in fray

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) unveiled the first list of 173 candidates for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on Friday comprising of party chief MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi. DMK has decided to field MK Stalin once again from the Kolathur constituency while the party's youth wing leader Udhayanidhi was given a ticket from the Chepauk-Triplicane constituency. DMK has also decided to field Thanga Tamilselvan from Bodinayakanur against Dy CM O Panneerselvam while the party's General Secretary Durai Murugan will contest from the Katpadi constituency in Vellore district. Sitting MLA 'Poondi' K Kalaivananan will contest from the Tiruvarur constituency which was represented twice by former CM Karunanidhi. 

DMK unveils 1st list of candidates for Tamil Nadu polls

DMK-led alliance

DMK finalized the seat-sharing pact with ally Congress after multiple rounds of negotiations and allotted 25 seats along with the Lok Sabha constituency to the grand old party. DMK also inked the seat-sharing agreement with Left ally CPI(M) after multiple rounds of deliberation, as the latter demanded more seats to contest from whereas the former refused to budge. Apart from Congress and CPI(M), DMK also sealed the alliance with Viduthalai Makkal Katchi (VCK), allotting them six seats for the Assembly elections.

Three seats were given by DMK to Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) while two seats were allotted to Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK). Stalin's party had also sealed the seat-sharing agreement with the Communist Party of India (CPI), giving them six seats. MDMK's chief Vaiko informed on Saturday that the DMK chief MK Stalin has signed an agreement by which 6 assembly seats have been allotted to MDMK. The Kongunaadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) finalized the seat-sharing pact with DMK chief MK Stalin on Tuesday, agreeing to field three candidates under DMK's symbol in the upcoming elections. KMDK general secretary NR Eswaran signed the seat-sharing pact at the DMK headquarters in Chennai along with other members of both parties. 

Tamil Nadu Assembly polls

The TN elections will be held on April 6 and the result will be declared on May 2. The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. He has also announced a slew of social measures like Pongal gift hampers, farm loan waiver, free COVID-19 vaccines, passing school students, etc which has been slammed by DMK M K Stalin calling it 'pre-poll appeasement'.  Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats. 

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