AIADMK identifies 10 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka

The AIADMK has identified 10 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, which is going to polls next month. It has informally sounded to the BJP that it would like to be allotted a few seats

The AIADMK has identified 10 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, which is going to polls next month. It has informally sounded to the BJP that it would like to be allotted a few seats.

Sources in the party claim that it has a base of its own in many constituencies of Bengaluru such as Rajajinagar, Gandhinagar, Chamrajapet, Pulikeshinagar, Shivajinagar and C.V. Raman Nagar. This will complement the vote base of the BJP at this crucial juncture, they say. 

Since 1983,  the AIADMK  won in the Kolar Gold Field (KGF) Assembly constituency (reserved for Scheduled Castes) thrice  (1983, 1989 and 1999) and Gandhinagar (1994). Sources say that on all these four occasions, the party had emerged victorious on its own.  In 2018, it fielded its nominees in three seats — Hanur and Gandhinagar, apart from KGF.  In 1999, it contested in 13 constituencies which included Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Bhadravathi.

Apart from its desire to open an account in Karnataka after a gap of nearly 25 years, the party wants the Election Commission (EC) to recognise Edappadi K. Palaniswami as general secretary of the AIADMK and allow him to sign on forms ‘A’ and ‘B’ without any restrictions.

During the recent by-election to the Erode (East) Assembly constituency, it was on the basis of the Supreme Court’s order that the EC had assigned the symbol of ‘two leaves’ to K.S. Thennarasu, who was picked up by Mr. Palaniswami. 

Meanwhile, the AIADMK’s former coordinator, O. Panneerselvam, announced the appointment of office bearers for the Karnataka State unit of his group. In addition to naming State-level and district-level office bearers, he selected functionaries for six Assembly constituencies.