- February 16, 2019
- Posted by: admin
- Category: Daily News
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- After months of speculation over an electoral alliance between AIADMK and BJP, the two sides arrived at a 25-15 formula to share Tamil Nadu’s 40 Lok Sabha seats (including the lone Puducherry seat). The two parties agreed to apportion seats to smaller parties from their own share.
- A source privy to a three-hour meeting chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam had with Union finance minister Piyush Goyal told TOI that BJP may get 8 seats, leaving 4 for PMK and 3 for DMDK.
- According to people aware of Goyal’s schedule for Thursday, the meeting was aimed at finalising seat-sharing and other alliance related issues.
- From its 25 seats, AIADMK has to accommodate G K Vaasan’s TMC, N Rangaswamy’s NRC and K Krishnaswamy’s PT. All the small parties, however, may not get to contest.
- TOI, on 4 Feb 19, had reported that such an alliance was being firmed up. AIADMK ministers P Thangamani and S P Velumani were present at the meeting held at the residence of industrialist Pollachi N Mahalingam in Alwarpet in Chennai.
- “The finer details of the alliance are known only to Goyal and BJP president Amit Shah and the top four from AIADMK present at the meeting,” the source said.
- Insiders said there were lingering issues over getting all the prospective constituents on board. PMK wanted AIADMK to negotiate with it directly, since it has a bigger vote than BJP in Tamil Nadu. BJP leaders, however, feel they can bring around Anbumani Ramadoss to make the formal announcement soon.
- There were also differences within AIADMK over alliance partners. Talks picked up pace after BJP top brass deputed two businessmen from Tamil Nadu to talk to all parties.
- While the exact numbers and seats to be contested by each party is yet to be firmed up, a broad understanding has been reached, a source in AIADMK said.
16-Feb-2019
