Chennai: Two days after bringing Vijayakanth's DMDK on board, the ruling AIADMK has commenced talks with its probable ally viz. G. K. Vasan's TMC. Vasan who was said to have had 'cordial' talks with the AIADMK leaders, will announce his party's decision on Wednesday.
The AIADMK has already apportioned 19 Lok Sabha seats (from 39 in Tamil Nadu besides the lone seat in Puducherry) among its allies - the PMK, BJP, DMDK, N R Congress, Puthiya Tamizhagam and New Justice Party while retaining 21 seats with it. TMC will be the seventh party if it agrees to join the mega alliance of the AIADMK.
“An official announcement on TMC's stand on alliance will be announced tomorrow after discussing the issue at our party meeting,” Mr. Vasan who had been former Union shipping minister, has said. The AIADMK Ministers: P. Thangamani and S. P. Velumani, called upon Mr Vasan at his Alwarpet residence here and discussed poll alliance. “They said this alliance should function as a driving force to fulfill the aspirations of the people through the panchayat elections. The views and suggestions expressed by them and also our stand on alliance will be discussed at our party meeting and announced officially,” Mr Vasan said on Tuesday.
Mr Vasan had earlier said his party was in talks with the AIADMK and BJP leaders to firm up electoral alliance for the April 18 Lok Sabha elections. During the seat-sharing pact with the DMDK, Deputy Chief Minister and Coordinator of AIADMK O. Panneerselvam had said TMC would also be joining the combine. Mr Vasan informed that his party had sought the Election Commission to allot the 'cycle' symbol for it.
Sources in the BJP said once the alliance with the TMC is finalised, the constituencies would be identified and the parties would commence the poll work.
“Already, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the poll campaign on March 6. Soon a team of Central Ministers would arrive to the State and address meetings at various place,” a BJP senior said.
