Allies could boost DMK’s poll prospects in 18 constituencies

M. K. Stalin  

Party stands to gain more in southern and western belts

The DMK’s prospective allies for the Lok Sabha polls may turn out to be beneficial to the party in at least 18 constituencies, including six each in western and southern districts and three each in northern and central regions.

This conclusion is based on the performance of five parties — the Congress, the CPI, the CPI(M), the VCK and the MDMK — in the 2016 Assembly polls. While the Congress was part of the DMK-led combine even then, the other four parties fought under the banner of the People’s Welfare Front, which also included the DMDK and the TMC (Moopanar).

The DMK has allotted 9 constituencies in the State [along with one in Puducherry] to the Congress, and has concluded the first round of seat-sharing talks with the other potential allies.

 

The presence of the five parties in the DMK-led front is expected to provide greater strength to the alliance in the south when compared to other regions. The main reason for this is that the Congress, the MDMK, the CPI and the CPI(M) have moderate to considerable influence in parts of the southern belt, where the DMK is perceived to be weaker than its arch rival, the AIADMK.

In Erode in the western belt, the presence of the allies will be of immense value, given their 15.67% vote share. In the central region, Nagapattinam and Karur may see tough contests between the two principal formations, as the vote share of the DMK’s allies in these districts add up to 17.89% and 14.53%, respectively.

In the north, the allies will, in all likelihood, place the DMK-led front on a strong footing in Sriperumbudur, with a share of votes to the tune of 21.6%. Another prominent constituency is Chidambaram, where the VCK, the Congress and the CPI(M) have their areas of influence. Besides the five parties’ performance in 2016, their showing in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls reinforce the overall conclusion.