Friday, March 24 2006 12:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: AIADMK would contest 182 of 234 seats in the May 8 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, party supremo Jayalalithaa announced here today (Mar 24, 2006).

Christening the alliance United People Alliance (UPA), AIADMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa released the list of the constituencies to be contested by her party and allies MDMK, Dalit Panthers of India, Indian National League and rebel factions of All India Forward Bloc and Indian Union Muslim League.

"After the seat identification exercise with allies was completed, it was decided that AIADMK would contest from 182 constituencies, MDMK 36 and DPI nine," she said.

Jayalalithaa said she would be undertaking a campaign tour of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kerala from March 31.

Party sources said AIADMK might give a few seats to some splinter groups provided they contest on its symbol.

It is for the first time that AIADMK would contest more than 160 seats. In 2001, it contested 140 seats and won 132.