CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday released the first list of 16 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections and asserted, "The AIADMK is not dependent on alliances as the party stands on its strength."
Addressing a press conference after releasing the candidates' list at the AIADMK headquarters here, Palaniswami said the DMDK has been allocated five seats while the Puthiya Thamizhagam and SDPI have been given one seat each.
The first list of AIADMK has many new faces. Here is the list of candidates: Chennai North (R Manohar alias Royapuram R Mano); Chennai South (J Jayavardhan); Kancheepuram-Reserved (E Rajasekar); Arakkonam (AL Vijayan); Krishnagiri (V Jayaprakash); Arani (GV Gajendran); Villupuram-Reserved (J Bhagyaraj); Salem (P Vignesh); Namakkal (S Thamizhmani); Erode (Aatral Ashok Kumar); Karur (KRL Thangavel); Chidambaram -Reserved (M Chandrakasan); Nagapattinam - Reserved ((G Surjeet Sankar); Madurai (P Saravanan); Theni (VT Narayanasamy); and Ramanathapuram (P Jayaperumal).
Meanwhile, Puthiya Thamizhagam president K Krishnasamy and SDPI state president Nellai Mubarak signed seat-sharing agreement with AIADMK. While Puthiya Thamizhagam has been allocated Tenkasi Reserved constituency, the SDPI got Dindigul. The constituencies DMDK will contest are yet to be announced.
Questioned about the PMK joining hands with the BJP, a smiling EPS said: "This is not a disappointment for us. AIADMK is a party that stands on its own. It does not depend on alliances. If parties come for alliance, they are welcome. Even otherwise, we will be happy. Forging an alliance with some other party is a decision to be taken by individual parties. So, we cannot align parties by force."
Asked about the alliance forged by the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections, Palaniswami, without commenting on it directly said, "The AIADMK is a strong political party in Tamil Nadu. It has 2.06 crore cadres. The party ruled the State for around 30 years and it has crossed its golden jubilee. In 2014, the AIADMK became the third-largest party in the Parliament. So, I don't want to comment on other parties because people are the masters in the elections.
The people's support has gone up for the AIADMK and we will win all the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry."
Questioned as to with whom the AIADMK will have a direct contest in the Lok Sabha elections, Palaniswami said, "The people are casting their votes through a secret ballot system. The AIADMK-led front is in alliance with the people and they will decide."