TN assembly poll: Determined to break second term jinx, ruling DMK to contest 175 seats

Determined to break the consecutive second term jinx, the ruling DMK, under Chief Minister MK Stalin, is contesting from 175 seats in the April 23 elections to the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.

This is 13 seats less than the 188 that the party had contested last time with its few allies, including the MDMK of Vaiko, fighting the elections on the DMK’s Rising Sun symbol. This time too, some of the constituents of the DMK-led secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) are entering the fray in a similar arrangement.

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“After the completion of the seat-sharing exercise, leaving the constituents of the SPA, who are contesting on their own symbols, the DMK, together with some of our allies, is entering the 2026 election in 175 constituencies on the Rising Sun symbol of the DMK,” Stalin said in a letter to party workers, urging them to work for the victory of the combine, considering each candidate of the allies as those of the DMK.

“Not only the Rising Sun, all the symbols of the allies – the hand (Congress), drum (DMDK), corn and sickle (CPI), hammer and sickle (CPI(M), pot (VCK), ladder (IUML) – are our own. Joining hands with the allies, you should think that Stalin is the candidate in all the 234 constituencies and work speedily so that the target is achieved,” he made it clear.

“Victory is necessary for the continuation of the government that stands firm against the betrayal and discrimination of Tamil Nadu as well as to protect India’s democracy,” he added.

On the arduous task of completing the seat-sharing exercise, the DMK president said he had explained personally to the leaders of the Left parties, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, MP, Vaiko of MDMK, and others on fixing the quantum of seats for them taking into consideration the alliance’s victory, even while acknowledging their legitimate expectations. “As a brother, I have pledged to ensure their victory from the seats allotted to them. And as the leader of the alliance, I do consider them as part and parcel of us,” he asserted, not forgetting to wholeheartedly appreciate the stand taken by Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Hassan, in the interest of the alliance.

The MNM, reportedly asked to contest in two seats on the DMK symbol, had decided to stay away from the election, while extending unconditional support to the DMK-led front. Expressing solidarity with Hassan, VCK leader Thirumavalavan, in a statement, had urged the MNM to contest the election as it would provide cohesiveness to the SPA and asked Stalin to accommodate the party so that it could contest on its torch-light symbol.