Chennai: With all major parties deciding their alliance for the May 16 Assembly elections, there is a three-way race among AIADMK, DMK and People’s Welfare Alliance to draw the remaining parties to their fold as the state enters the last phase of alliance negotiations.
While PWA is trying to pull both Tamil Maanila Congress led by G.K. Vasan and Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT), a Dalit outfit to its side, the AIADMK is holding talks with TMC and DMK waiting for PT. There are some other smaller outfits like Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi and Manithaneya Jananayaka Katchi waiting to get into major alliances.
Vasan has already announced he would not align with BJP and ruled out co-existing with Congress in any front. He has also ruled out going it alone in the party’s poll debut. The remaining options for him are AIADMK and PWA. The number of seats offered by AIADMK is said to be 16, which is below TMC leaders’ expectations. Besides, it is doubtful if seats sought for some TMC leaders, who are seen as close to DMK, will be allocated to TMC in AIADMK front.
In PWA, there is a scarcity of seats now and the offer could be around 20 to 25. Vasan has the capability to split Congress votes in south Tamil Nadu and delta districts, if he finds himself in a strong alliance. The PWA, which now has a sizeable vote share in the delta and southern Tamil Nadu, could add more votes to its kitty if Vasan joins them.
While Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is in the limelight as one of the major parties in PWA, Puthiya Thamizhagam, the Dalit outfit in South Tamil Nadu, has taken an anti-AIADMK stand in the Assembly and outside. Its choice lies between PWA and DMK. The party leader K.Krishnasamy contested the 2014 elections in DMK alliance and lost.
The PT’s presence in Vaiko’s native district of Tirunelveli could add muscle to the Pandavas’ alliance. However, Krishnasamy had never been in an alliance with Vaiko’s MDMK in any election. Besides, he has to settle as a junior partner to VCK and the number of seats which could be shared by PWA with him should match his expectations.
