The party, which saw over 1,100 party workers evince interest in MLA ticket for the ensuing Assembly polls on the first day of issue of applications on Wednesday, is likely to screen the applicants on March 2. Though the date has yet to be officially announced by Anna Arivalayam, party sources privy to the development said that March 2, the day after Stalin’s birthday, could be set for interviewing applicants. 

DMK would be issuing and collecting filled in applications till February 24. DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi, speaking during a party event in the city on Thursday, was learnt to have hinted at the possibility of holding applicants’ interview in the first week of March. Reiterating that they were seeing the same energy in the party functionaries this time, as they did during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Bharathi told DT Next said the dates are yet to be finalised, but interview of applicants would be held in the first week of March. 

Significantly, the DMK has yet to begin official seat sharing talks with its allies, who were concerned about unconfirmed reports suggesting that Dravidian major could be frugal in sharing seats with allies this time.