Chodankar, when questioned by the media about holding talks with the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) of Vijay, kept mum and evaded the query: Reports
CHENNAI: The much-awaited talks on seat-sharing between the Congress and DMK remained inconclusive on the first day on Saturday with the DMK offering just 21 seats to the Congress to contest, which is lesser than the 25 seats allotted in 2021, saying that it has to accommodate all the 19 partners in the coalition.
AICC leader Girish Chodonkar led the talks from the Congress side that had TNCC president, K Selvaperunthagai, Congress leader in the State Assembly, Rajesh Kumar and AICC leader Nivedith Alva, and described it as a cordial and fruitful meeting in which they were able to put across their demands.
The team of DMK top brass, led by treasurer T R Baalu with a few other leaders like K N Nehru and E V Velu as members, told the Congress leaders that since the coalition has roped in more members, it could only offer 21 seats, which was three more than the 18 seats that the Congress won out of the 25 in 2021.
However, the Congress was promised a Rajya Sabha nomination by the DMK leaders, who also held negotiations with other allies like Vaiko, SDPI, Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi of Velmurugan, Tamimun Ansari, Nellai Mubarak and so on. Some of those candidates would be contesting the election on the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol.
Chodankar, when questioned by the media about holding talks with the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) of Vijay, kept mum and evaded the query. Selvaperunthagai that the Congress-DMK alliance was a natural one and that they have placed their demands that would be considered by the DMK.
The confidence exuded by the Congress negotiators indicated that the alliance was back on track though it looked that it had derailed when both the parties stuck to their guns - the Congress on power sharing and the DMK saying a firm No - causing a stalemate.
Now the DMK had managed to lower the number of seats that it could offer to the Congress and ruled out share in power completely despite a slew of Congress leaders including MPs from Tamil Nadu like Manickam Tagore and Jothimani launched a campaign on social media channel X.
The way the DMK dug in its heels against power sharing send across the subtle message ‘take it or leave it’ to the Congress, whose leaders in the State mostly wanted the alliance with the DMK to continue though leaders not based in Tamil Nadu had advocated joining hands with the TVK that was offering more seats and even share in power if that coalition won the elections.
