Chennai, Mar 15 (IANS): The DMK will field candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in its traditional strongholds. The constituencies to be contested by it and its allies was announced here on Friday.

The DMK, which will contesting 20 of the 39 seats, would field candidates in all the three Parliamentary constituencies in Chennai -- North, South and Central Chennai.

It would also contest in Kancheepuram (R), Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Arakkonam, Sriperumbudur, Dharmapuri, Kallakurichi, Salem, Nilgiris (R), Pollachi, Dindugul, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tuticorin, Tenkasi (R) and Tirunelveli.

DMK's key ally the Congress, which was allotted nine seats, was given Tiruvallur, Karur, Krishnagiri, Sivaganga, Aarni, Trichy, Theni, Virudhunagar and Kanniyakumari besides the lone seat in Puducherry.

While the MDMK led by Vaiko was allotted Erode, the CPI-M would contest from Coimbatore and Madurai and the CPI in Tiruppur and Nagapattinam (R).

The IUML was allotted the Ramanathapuram seat, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) led by Thol Thirumavalavan was given the Reserved constituencies of Villuppuram and Chidambaram.

The Kongunadu Desiya Makkal Katchi (KDMK) was allotted Namakkal and the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) would contest from Perambalur.

Talking to reporters after announcing the list of constituencies, DMK President M.K. Stalin said the party's manifesto was being finalised and would be released in the next four days.

He said he would also release a separate manifesto for the 18 Assembly by-elections which were being held along with the Lok Sabha polls.