DMK, Congress finalise seat-sharing pact for Lok Sabha polls

The ruling DMK party has finalised the seat-sharing pact with the Congress party for the upcoming general elections.

According to the agreement, the Congress will contest in 9 seats in Tamil Nadu and 1 seat in Puducherry, a repeat of the 2019 seat-sharing formula.

The deal was finalised between DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin and Congress Tamil Nadu chief K Selvaperunthagai.

Addressing reporters, Congress leader Venugopal exuded confidence in the DMK-led combine winning all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and said the 'bonding' between the Congress and the DMK "is intact."

“We are confident that INDIA Alliance will win all 40 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. They (NDA) can make the perception that they are winning but INDIA Alliance will be ruling the country after this election,” he told PTI news agency.

Earlier, Kamal Haasan pledged full support to the DMK party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The actor-turned-politician said that they won't be contesting in any of the Lok Saba seats, and added that it will focus on campaigning for its allies.

The seat-sharing pact with Congress comes a day after the DMK allotted two seats—both reserved constituencies — to Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and one for the Vaiko-led MDMK.

VCK will contest from Chidambaram and Villupuram, the two seats it represents in the current Lok Sabha.

The string of finalising the seat-sharing formula comfortable places the DMK, which is leading a multi-party Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu. Apart from Congress, VCK and MDMK, it has ties with CPI (M), CPI, IUML and KMDK.

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