With speculations about the AIADMK allocating 10 seats for its existing alliance partner DMDK, the latter has called for applications to field candidates in 234 constituencies, catching many of its cadres by surprise.
Though the DMDK leadership has decided to continue with the AIADMK alliance, talks on coalition and seat sharing has not yet begun leaving the de-facto leader of the DMDK and party chief Vijayakanth’s wife Premalatha dissatisfied.
In light of this, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar has said that talks will begin soon with the DMDK. It is expected that Vijayakanth’s party would get anywhere between 10 to 15 seats and would work towards increasing the winnability of the candidates in these seats.
Amidst this, the DMDK leadership has made an announcement calling for applications to field candidates in all the 234 constituencies.
As per the announcement, party office bearers and volunteers wishing to contest in the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry can receive the applications from the party head office at Koyambedu in Chennai, from 25th to 5th March. Those who want to contest from the general constituencies in Tamil Nadu have to pay ₹15,000, and ₹10,000 for contesting from reserved constituency. The amount is ₹10,000 for general constituency and ₹5,000 for a reserved constituency in Puducherry.
However, baffled party cadres are of the opinion that the party would anyway be getting only 10-15 seats and questioned the need for collecting money in the name of receiving applications for 234 constituencies. They also said that the days of the DMDK contesting in all seats are long gone and that the party has to come to grips with reality.
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