CHENNAI: The DMK has finalised the Lok Sabha constituencies for its two Left allies - CPI and CPM - on Tuesday. While the CPI was allocated the same Tiruppur and Nagapattinam constituencies that the party contested and won as part of the alliance in 2019, CPM has been asked to swap Coimbatore for Dindigul while retaining Madurai.
Madurai is a familiar territory for CPM with a notable vote-base for the party. Writer Su Venkatesan had registered a thumping victory as part of the DMK-led alliance in 2019. Dindigul, on the other hand, is an addition to the CPM’s electoral map. DMK’s P Velusamy had won from the constituency last time.
Though CPM has never won the Dindigul parliament constituency previously, the party clinched victory in the Dindigul assembly constituency seven times since 1967. Sources within the party said the party continued to have a base in the constituency and is confident of winning the Lok Sabha election as part of the alliance.
With BJP reportedly keen on fielding a strong candidate in Coimbatore, sources in the DMK said the party felt it would be appropriate for it to directly face the saffron party to ensure a tough fight. So, Coimbatore was taken by the DMK and the CPM has been given Dindigul instead of the textile city seat. CPM sources also said its present Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan, a septuagenarian, did not want to contest again.
Addressing media after the finalisation of the constituency, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan said it was a mutual exchange with both the parties offering each other a seat won by them in 2019.
Meanwhile, party sources said MP Su Venkatesan is likely to be fielded again as the candidate from Madurai Lok Sabha constituency. He maintains a good rapport with the DMK leadership. As the DMK functionaries were certain that the Madurai LS seat is likely to be given to CPM, they showed less interest in attending the interview for candidates called by DMK earlier.
According to insiders in the CPM, former district secretary N Pandi and Theekathir’s editor Madhukkur Ramalingam’s names are doing the rounds as potential choices for candidates from Dindigul.