CHENNAI: While the allocation of nine seats to Congress in DMK-led alliance got finalised after some delays last week, intense negotiations seem to be under way regarding which constituencies the national party would contest in the Lok Sabha election.
Informed sources said that the Congress is unlikely to get three to five of the Lok Sabha seats it contested and won in 2019. Among the constituencies that are not likely to go to Congress include Tiruchi, Karur, Tiruvallur, and Arani. Theni, which the party lost in the last election, is also being considered.
Preferences of alliance partners and field reports about the incumbent MPs, and their alleged lack of cooperation with local DMK functionaries seem to be the key factors for the change. As on Wednesday night, Congress sources said it was likely to get Erode instead of Karur, where Jothimani is the incumbent MP. Interestingly, sources said Virudhunagar, where Manickam Tagore is the incumbent MP, is also being considered to be moved out from Congress.
Importantly, a senior leader from Congress said it is likely to get two reserved constituencies instead of just one (Tiruvallur) it contested in 2019.
Sources further said the DMK is inclined towards giving up its sitting Cuddalore seat to Congress due to the complaints against its MP TRVS Ramesh, who is facing a murder case besides other issues.
The uncertainty over the constituencies has led to a frenzy among incumbent MPs and aspiring candidates, many of whom are camping in Delhi to lobby with the AICC leadership. The lobbying is intense, fuelled by the confidence that they can secure a victory if they manage to contest, because of the opposition votes getting split between AIADMK and the BJP-led alliances.
Among aspirants in Congress are former MPs SS Ramasubbu, P Viswanathan, K Rani, Vazhapadi Rama Suganthan, Louis Adaikalaraj, and S Peter Alphonse. While Alphonse denied that he is interested, sources suggested otherwise.
Posters have come up near Satyamurthi Bhavan, demanding that the Tiruchy seat be allocated to Louis Adaikalaraj. Citing his legacy of three generations, Adaikalaraj said, “It is my right to ask for a seat from the party. But I will accept the party’s decision without any second thought.”
Former Kancheepuram MP P Viswanathan said he was one of the few MPs who contested in 2014 when the party went to polls without any alliance. Hence, he has been urging the party leadership to get a ticket in one of the reserved seats. Vazhapadi Rama Suganthan, son of former union minister Vazhapadi K Ramamoorthi, told TNIE, “The party should give me a ticket to represent Vanniyar community.”