First deal done in AIADMK front; PMK allotted 23 seats
CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Saturday clinched a seat-sharing deal with ally PMK for the April 6 Assembly elections, allotting the S Ramadoss-headed party 23 seats.
“An alliance has been finalised between the AIADMK and the PMK. The party will contest in the alliance led by AIADMK and has been allocated 23 seats, ” AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam said at a private hotel here on Saturday. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss were also present during the poll agreement exchange between the parties.
“The alliance has been agreed in consultation with the PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss. The committee members of both the parties will now sit together and identify the seats that the PMK will contest,” OPS said. Exchanging the poll agreement copies, OPS termed the developments as a good sign and hinted that more political parties would join the AIADMK alliance soon.
“We have compromised on our Assembly seats due to the Vanniyar reservation order passed by the AIADMK government. Contesting in less number of seats is not going to reduce our political strength in the State. Palaniswami will continue to be the Chief Minister after the polls. Though the seats are less, we are elated as the 40-year-old struggle of our leader Dr Ramadoss has started moving in the right direction. This will help us to garner more votes and the AIADMK – PMK alliance will win the upcoming polls,” Anbumani said soon after the announcement.
According to sources, the PMK had demanded maximum seats in the north comprising Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram. The party will also contest in the Vanniyar-dominated constituencies in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.The alliance talks, which began before Pongal, hit a roadblock after Ramadoss said that his party will not hold talks until the reservation for their community is mooted. Accepting their demand, the government on Friday introduced a Bill earmarking 10.5 per cent reservation for Vanniyars in education and jobs.