Alliance talks on with BJP: AIADMK

CHENNAI: The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu confirmed for the first time on Wednesday that it is in talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for an alliance for the summer general elections.

AIADMK alliance committee incharge R Vaithilingam told the media his party was in talks with the BJP as well as actor Vijayakanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which is seen to be representing the interests of OBC Vanniyars.

“We have been talking with [those] parties to form an alliance... We are speaking with BJP, DMDK and PMK. After the [Lok Sabha] election dates are announced, we will officially reveal our alliance to the public,” Vaithilingam, the AIADMK deputy co-ordinator and Rajya Sabha MP, said.

Over the past two months, speculation has been rife that the AIADMK could tie up with the three parties but the ruling party leaders have not been forthcoming about it. On Wednesday, he put rumours at rest when he confirmed that the alliance would be finalised once the poll dates were announced.