Chennai: The opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) announced its first list of 23 candidates this week, fielding its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami from the Edappadi constituency for the April 23 Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
The party also announced that it will contest 169 assembly seats, and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will contest in 65 constituencies. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest from 27 constituencies, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will contest in 18, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) in 11, and the Tamil Manilaa Congress (TMC) in 5.
Smaller parties such as the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) got two seats. The Tamilaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) and Puratchi Bharatham were allotted one seat each.
The first list was announced a day after the party announced a 297-point election manifesto for the assembly elections, assuring a monthly allowance of ₹2,000 for every woman in the state and a one-time support of ₹10,000 per family to offset rising costs. The manifesto also promised additional ration benefits such as dal along with rice, distribution of refrigerators, and three free cooking gas cylinders per year for ration card holders. It also offered free bus rides to men. Bus rides are already free for women.
Palaniswami, popularly known as EPS, served as the seventh chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021. The 71-year-old leader of the Opposition in the assembly has represented the Edappadi constituency since 2011, and previously from 1989 to 1996. Born in the Salem district, Palaniswami hails from an agrarian family and identifies himself as a farmer.
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DMK to contest 165 seats The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is set to contest at least 165 seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, as the party finalized its seat-sharing arrangement within the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), comprising 26 political parties. With 66 seats already allotted to allies, the alliance has entered its final phase of consolidation ahead of the state polls. Under the seat-sharing agreement, the Congress has been allotted 28 seats, making it the largest ally in the DMK-led front. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has secured eight seats, while the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist have been given five seats each. The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) has been allocated four seats, while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Humanist People’s Party have been allotted two seats each. |
