Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s party Makkal Needhi Maiam on Monday announced that it will contest 154 seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, NDTV reported. The remaining 80 seats in the 234-member Assembly has been allotted to two of its allies, the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi and Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi, which will contest 40 seats each.
General Secretary of Haasan’s party CK Kumaravel, AISMK founder Sarathkumar and IJK leader Ravi Pachamuthu signed the agreement on Monday, according to The New Indian Express. Speaking to reporters, Kumaravel said efforts were on to bring a few more parties to the alliance led by the MNM.
“The parties have committed to the common goal of transforming Tamil Nadu by fulfilling the long-pending aspirations of the people,” read a document released by MNM on Monday night, according to NDTV. “With the common agenda of restoring the pride and glory of Tamil Nadu, they have decided to embark on a long-lasting journey together.”
While the three allies have agreed upon the number of seats they will be fighting, the constituencies allotted among them are yet to be finalised, The News Minute reported.
At an event in Pudukkottai city last month, where IJK and AISMK had entered into an alliance, the later’s general secretary had announced that Radikaa Sarath Kumar will be contesting from Velachery constituency, according to The News Minute. However, Radikaa, while speaking at the event, had said that she will do so, if the party chief and her husband Sarathkumar says so.
Meanwhile, Kumaravel of MNM has also submitted an application to contest from Velachery, The News Minute reported.
Apart from this combine, there are two other major alliance in the fray – the ruling Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led one, with Bharatiya Janata Party and Pattali Makkal Katchi; and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s combine with Congress and five other parties.
Elections to the 234-seat Tamil Nadu Assembly and the bye-poll to Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat will be held in a single phase on April 6. The results will be announced on May 2.
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