AIADMK seals seat pact with 3 allies; releases 1st list for LS polls

Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party — the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) — on Wednesday finalised its seat-sharing arrangement with allies DMDK, SDPI and Puthiya Tamizhagam; and announced its first list of 16 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

According to the electoral pact, late actor-politician Vijayakanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) will contest from five seats — Tiruvallur (SC), Central Chennai, Cuddalore, Thanjavur and Virudhunagar — while Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) has been allocated Tenkasi constituency and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) the Dindigul segment.

“DMDK’s tie-up with the AIADMK will continue for the 2026 Assembly elections as well,” DMDK general secretary Premalatha said after inking the pact.

During the day, the AIADMK also named the first set of 16 candidates for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami exuded confidence that the AIADMK-led alliance would sweep the polls.

“AIADMK is a strong party with about 2 crore members, 30 years in the ruling saddle and we ensured a big victory in 2014... people will decide (in our favour) as our clout has increased among the public. AIADMK will win the polls,” he said.

The AIADMK had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the BJP and won one seat. In September last year, however, the two parted ways.

According to its list for the 2024 LS polls, P Saravanan, who was with the DMK and BJP before joining the AIADMK will contest from Madurai. A former Congressman ‘Royapuram’ R Mano has been fielded from Chennai (North), A L Vijayan-Arakkona, E Rajasekar- Kanchipuram and P Vignesh from Salem. The only familiar face, former MP Dr J Jayavardhan, son of senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar, will seek a re-election from Chennai (South).