AIADMK allots 19 Assembly seats in southern districts to alliance partners

AIADMK has allotted 19 Assembly constituencies in ten southern districts to alliance parties with BJP being the major beneficiary of contesting from 12 seats, followed by Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) four, Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) two and Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) one.

Interestingly, AIADMK has handed over five out of six Assembly constituencies in Kanniyakumari district to the allies – four to BJP and one (Killiyoor) to TMC, while retaining the lone Kanniyakumari Assembly constituency that was won by N. Dhalavai Sundaram in 2021.

The Dravidian party, heading the National Democratic Alliance, is all set to contest from 39 seats out of the 58 Assembly seats in southern districts.

AIADMK retains all victorious seats

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, has retained all the 12 Assembly seats in the southern districts where the party candidates had won in the 2021 Assembly election. Those constituencies are Sivaganga (Sivaganga), Melur, Madurai West, Thirupparankundram, Usilampatti (all Madurai), Bodinayakanur (Theni), Srivilliputtur (SC) (Virudhunagar), Kovilpatti (Thoothukudi), Kadayanallur and Alangulam (Tenkasi district), Ambasamudram (Tirunelveli) and Kanniyakumari (Kanniyakumari district).

BJP

The BJP would be contesting from Tirupattur and Manamadurai (SC) in Sivaganga district, Madurai South (Madurai district), Ramanathapuram (Ramanathapuram district), Sattur (Virudhunagar district), Tiruchendur (Thoothukudi district), Vasudevanallur (SC) (Tenkasi district), Radhapuram in (Tirunelveli district), Nagercoil, Vilavancode, Colachel and Padmanabhapuram Assembly seats, all in Kanniyakumari district.

Interestingly, Tirunelveli Assembly constituency, that was won by BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran, is not among the list of seats being contested by the national party. Mr. Nagenthran is likely to contest from Sattur Assembly constituency in Virudhunagar district.

BJP, which had been fighting hard on deepathoon issue of Subramaniyaswamy temple in Thirupparankundram and was aiming to contest from Thirupparankundram Assembly seat could not get it from the AIADMK.

AMMK

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam would contest from Periyakulam (Theni district), Karaikudi (Sivaganga district), Nanguneri (Tirunelveli district) and Ottapidaram (SC) (Thoothukudi district).

TMC

Tamil Maanila Congress has got Oddanchathram (Dindigul) and Killiyoor (Kanniyakumari district).

Rajapalayam Assembly seat (Virudhunagar district) has been allocated to B. John Pandian’s Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam. Former Rajapalayam MLA of AIADMK, who is now State vice-president of BJP K. Gopalsamy was eager to contest again from this constituency.

Pattali Makkal Katchi is not contesting from any of the Assembly constituencies in southern districts.