DMK, CONGRESS FAIL TO REACH CONSENSUS ON SEAT SHARING
CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has offered 20-25 seats to ally Congress for elections to the 234member assembly due in Aprilmay in preliminary seat-sharing talks, people familiar with the developments said on the condition of anonymity.
A meeting between the two sides took place on Thursday. The Congress expressed its desire to contest over 40 constituencies, but the DMK reportedly offered only 20-25 seats, the people added. “The DMK leadership wants to contest in a higher number of seats compared to what it contested in 2016. We have told them (Congress) what is possible,” said party MP Kanimozhi, who is a part of the committee leading the talks. Other panel members comprised party treasurer T R Balu and general secretary Durai Murugan.
The DMK won 80 out of the 180 seats it contested in 2016.
The DMK’S offer of around 20-25 seats for the Congress will be the highest it offers to any ally. Apart from the DMK and the Congress, other constituents in the opposition alliance are the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and smaller partners such as the KMDK and the Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi.
In 2016, the Congress won eight out of the 41 seats it was allotted. “The leadership is saying that it is fine if we get the same number of seats,” a Congress leader familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity. “But it doesn’t seem the DMK is ready to give more than 30.”
Both sides, however, said they will go for a few more rounds. “We spoke regarding our alliance with politeness and happiness. We exchanged our opinions. We will speak to our respective parties and hold the next round of talks,” TN Congress Committee president KS Alagiri.
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CHANDIGARH: The medical report of labour rights activist Shiv Kumar, a co-accused in FIRS registered against Dalit rights campaigner Nodeep Kaur, found two fractures on his hand and foot and broken nailbeds on his toe.
The medical examination conducted last week by a panel of five doctors of the Chandigarh-based Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 on directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court listed a total of seven injuries, of which two were termed “grievous” caused by a “blunt object”.
Shiv Kumar, president of the Majdoor Adhikar Sanghathan, was picked up by police on January 16, detained for seven days before being produced before the magistrate, alleged a plea in the high court filed by his father Rajbir Singh seeking a CBI probe and medical examination. The status report on the three FIRS said he was lodged in Sonepat jail on February 2. Three FIRS were registered -- one on December 28 and two on January 12 -- against various activists including Kaur and
Shiv Kumar for extortion among other charges. Kaur was arrested for allegedly gheraoing an industrial unit and demanding money from a company on January 12.
According to the hospital report, all the injuries were more than two weeks old. “There is a fracture [of] distal phalanx of the second digit of left hand. Fracture of base of 5th Metatarsal bone of right foot,” the report said. “Right foot swelling present and tender to touch... Swelling and tenderness on left foot. Nail beds of right 2nd and 3rd toe are broken and underlying skin is reddish in colour and showing healing changes. Left big toe shows blackish discolouration. Nails of left thumb and index finger show bluish black discoloration with tenderness,” it states. The report terms the right foot and left thumb injuries as “grievous”.
“They also hit him on both hands and palms and also on the back of his head. He was not allowed to sleep for three days,” the report noted.
HT tried contacting Sonepat SP Jashandeep Randhawa, jail superintendent Satwinder Singh and Kundli SHO Ravi Kumar but they weren’t immediately available for a response.