Chennai: The AIADMK has been holding hectic parleys with erstwhile ally PMK, a significant political force in northern districts of Tamil Nadu, as AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is keen on putting together a strong alliance for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. PMK president and former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss is likely to contest from Dharmapuri Parliamentary constituency given that his Rajya Sabha term ends next year.
Senior leaders told TOI that negotiations have been progressing well with both sides positive about a good outcome. Meanwhile, the BJP too is believed to have offered a package that includes 12 LS seats, two RS seats and one cabinet berth for PMK.
“Negotiations have not concluded and talks so far are positive for both sides. PMK cadres and functionaries are keen to see AIADMK and PMK firm up an alliance,” said a senior AIADMK leader.
On Friday, three PMK MLAs, Sadhasivam (Mettur), C Sivakumar (Mailam), S P Venkateshwaran (Dharmapuri) paid “a courtesy visit” to Palaniswami’s residence after paying a visit to his neighbour and social welfare minister P Geetha Jeevan on Greenways Road in Chennai. Earlier, the AIADMK leadership had initiated talks by deputing former AIADMK minister and RS MP C Ve Shanmugam to PMK founder Ramadoss’s Thailapuram residence in Villupuram district. Sources said a PMK MLA met Palaniswami four times recently as an emissary of the PMK leadership. The talks between both sides had initially hovered around a formula to arrive at the number of seats. “If the count (number of seats) is smaller, the ally may select constituencies of its choice. If the count is higher, both sides must jointly identify seats,” said a source. “The bargain is in the range of six to eight LS seats and a Rajya Sabha seat. It is most likely that PMK will get eight LS seats and a RS seat,” a senior PMK functionary said.
If it seals a pact with AIADMK, PMK leaders say the party would surely contest Chidambaram, a reserved seat, and Cuddalore, apart from Dharmapuri where all five assembly seats were won by AIADMK-PMK combine in 2021. Hectic parleys are on for seats like Villupuram and Kallakurichi in the north, Dindigul and Virudhunagar in the south as PMK is keen on Kallakurichi, and Virudhunagar.
Senior leaders told TOI that negotiations have been progressing well with both sides positive about a good outcome. Meanwhile, the BJP too is believed to have offered a package that includes 12 LS seats, two RS seats and one cabinet berth for PMK.
“Negotiations have not concluded and talks so far are positive for both sides. PMK cadres and functionaries are keen to see AIADMK and PMK firm up an alliance,” said a senior AIADMK leader.
On Friday, three PMK MLAs, Sadhasivam (Mettur), C Sivakumar (Mailam), S P Venkateshwaran (Dharmapuri) paid “a courtesy visit” to Palaniswami’s residence after paying a visit to his neighbour and social welfare minister P Geetha Jeevan on Greenways Road in Chennai. Earlier, the AIADMK leadership had initiated talks by deputing former AIADMK minister and RS MP C Ve Shanmugam to PMK founder Ramadoss’s Thailapuram residence in Villupuram district. Sources said a PMK MLA met Palaniswami four times recently as an emissary of the PMK leadership. The talks between both sides had initially hovered around a formula to arrive at the number of seats. “If the count (number of seats) is smaller, the ally may select constituencies of its choice. If the count is higher, both sides must jointly identify seats,” said a source. “The bargain is in the range of six to eight LS seats and a Rajya Sabha seat. It is most likely that PMK will get eight LS seats and a RS seat,” a senior PMK functionary said.
If it seals a pact with AIADMK, PMK leaders say the party would surely contest Chidambaram, a reserved seat, and Cuddalore, apart from Dharmapuri where all five assembly seats were won by AIADMK-PMK combine in 2021. Hectic parleys are on for seats like Villupuram and Kallakurichi in the north, Dindigul and Virudhunagar in the south as PMK is keen on Kallakurichi, and Virudhunagar.