2024 LS polls: DMK, CPI seat-sharing talks commence

CHENNAI: The DMK on Saturday opened seat-sharing talks with ally CPI for the ensuing Parliamentary polls.

A delegation of CPI leaders led by the party's Tiruppur MP K Subbarayan held talks with the DMK seat-sharing committee led by its treasurer T R Baalu at DMK headquarters in Anna Arivalayam Saturday afternoon.

The DMK, which leads the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu, has opened talks with the CPI after engaging the Congress roughly a week ago.

The CPI, which had successfully contested from Tiruppur and Nagapattinam in the company of the DMK in the 2019 Parliamentary polls, is understood to have doubled its numbers in the wishlist submitted to the DMK negotiation team. Emerging out of the 15-minute-long discussion, Subbarayan told media persons that the talks were positive.

Describing the talks as a "good start", Subbarayan said, "We saw a cordial approach. We would like to state that the progress would be good. We asked for more seats compared to the last time."

Asked if the negotiation included a Rajya Sabha nomination, the CPI MP said, "It is not a question of Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. The election ahead is for the Lok Sabha and seat sharing is also for the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. Hence, we have submitted what we needed. A very positive approach was felt." However, sources in DMK disclosed that the party was in no mood to concede more seats to allies this time.

"The idea is to minimise the allocation to allies. Why does the question of increasing allocation to allies arise? The numbers and constituencies will be finalized after the CM's return from the overseas tour," said a DMK leader on condition of anonymity.

The DMK will open seat-sharing talks with CPI (M) and MDMK on Sunday.