CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has notched up an alliance with 14 parties and social groups for the Assembly elections, its national secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge, Bandaru Dattatreya, said here on Wednesday.

The party will contest 185 seats and its allies, 49.

Second list on Sunday

It will publish the manifesto on Thursday and release its second list of candidates on Sunday.

The BJP has allotted the All-India Ambedkar Makkal Katchi, led by V.Balasundaram, 10 seats. The All-India Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam, the Janata Party, the Janata Dal (United), the Tamizhar Bhoomi and the Dravida Vizhipunarchi Kazhagam have been given five seats each. Eight others have been allotted 14 seats.

Mr. Dattatreya invited all five Chief Ministers and two Deputy CMs of the BJP for campaigning.Apart from former Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani and party president Rajnath Singh, several other national leaders were expected to visit the State.

To add glamour to the campaigning, actors Hema Malini, Smriti Irani and Krishnam Raju would also campaign.

Asked why State unit president C.P.Radhakrishnan, legislature party leader K.N.Lakshmanan and State general secretary Pon.Radhakrishnan were not contesting, Mr.Dattatreya said the services of these leaders were required for intensive campaigning in different parts.

Though the national leaders would visit Tamil Nadu, the presence of the State leaders would be required in interior parts.

"Communication error"

Reacting to JD(U) national president George Fernandes' announcement that his party would go it alone, he said: "Our understanding with the JD(U) stands. We feel there is some communication error which, we hope, will be sorted out soon."

He said his party had recently represented before the Election Commission that private television channels should give fair coverage of the campaigning by all parties.

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