AIADMK clinches seat-sharing deal with PMK, BJP

The month-long poll parleys between the AIADMK and the BJP came to an end on Tuesday with the BJP sealing a mega alliance in TN to fight against the Congress-DMK combine. The BJP will contest in five of the 39 seats in the State and will support the AIADMK ally NR Congress in Puducherry. 

The announcement was made by AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, the party election in-charge, Tamil Nadu.

Declaring the poll pact, Panneerselvam announced that the BJP will also support the AIADMK in the 21 vacant Assembly seats. An elated Goyal said that the mega-alliance would sweep TN and Puducherry, bagging all 40 seats.

“I remember my last interaction with Jayalalithaaji in 2016, to discuss the power sector issues. This poll pact reminds me of the good memories with the late AIADMK leader. My good friends EPS and OPS have assured full support to the BJP and the NDA alliance,” Goyal reiterated.

“As a mark of respect to Amma, the NDA will win all the seats and continue the BJP rule led by Prime minister Narendra Modi,” Goyal said. The alliance would be under AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and at the national level the BJP will steer the NDA coalition, he said. Earlier in the day, O Pannerselvam, AIADMK joint coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss signed the poll alliance agreement at a private hotel here. As per the agreement, the PMK will contest in seven Parliament seats and obtain a Rajya Sabha seat.

“The PMK will also back the AIADMK in all the 21 vacant assembly seats,” OPS told reporters. PMK which has significant clout in northern Tamil Nadu dominated Vanniyar community had been holding talks with both the AIADMK and the DMK, but it seems that the ruling party here had the last laugh. AIADMK functionaries and cadre who had gathered at the posh five-star hotel were seen in celebratory mood and bursting crackers.

However, MLAs Karunas and Thamimun Ansari who won the seat under AIADMK’s Two Leaves symbol said, “The alliance is a setback for AIADMK.” Inthiya Jananayaga Katchi founder TR Pachamuthu and Puthiya Needhi Katchi founder A C Shanmugham are also likely to join the NDA alliance and contest under Two Leaves, sources said. The details about the constituencies to be allotted will be announced before Saturday, sources added. The first round of poll talks by NDA was held on February 14. The AIADMK top brass chose February 19 as the day for the final seat-sharing talks as it marks Masi Maham, an auspicious day in Tamil calendar.