Chennai: The opposition party in Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), on Friday announced the names of the constituencies of the party and its allies, which would contest in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry's Lok Sabha elections on April 18.

DMK president MK Stalin released a list of constituencies allotted to the allies in the presence of coalition leaders, including Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) chief KS Alagiri and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) president Vaiko, at the party headquarters in Chennai.

Stalin also described his party-led coalition as the "secular, progressive alliance".

There are 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and one in neighbouring Puducherry.

Addressing the media, Stalin said that the DMK's 20 seats would include Chennai (North), Chennai (South), Chennai (Central), Thoothukudi and Pollachi among others.

The Congress, which has been allotted the lion's share of seats among the allies, will contest from nine seats in the state, including Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli and Arani.

The national party will also fight from the lone seat in neighbouring Puducherry.

The CPI(M) has been allotted Coimbatore and Madurai, while the CPI will fight from Tirupur and Nagapattinam, a reserved constituency.

The pro-Dalit Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has been given Villupuram and Chidambaram (SC) segments.

The Vaiko-led MDMK has been allotted the Erode constituency.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) will field their nominees from Ramanathapuram and Namakkal, respectively, while the IJK has been allotted Perambalur, Stalin said.