AIADMK, BJP conclude preliminary discussions on seat sharing for TN urban civic body polls

The opposition AIADMK on Saturday concluded preliminary talks on seat sharing with its major ally, the BJP, for the February 19 urban civic bodies polls in the state to fill 12,838 posts.

Both the parties displayed a spirit of camaraderie in consolidating their strengths to take on the DMK-led front.

The discussions between the leaders of the two parties were “smooth and cordial” and soon the “identified seats” will be allotted to the BJP, AIADMK senior and former state minister D Jayakumar said. Denying any stalemate over the choice of wards or numbers, during the talks, he pointed out that “normally such an exercise involves free exchange of ideas and views.” “The protracted meeting was because being a civic poll, contenders are dime a dozen. We have to discuss fielding candidates for all the posts for which election will be held,” BJP state chief K Annamalai said emerging from the nearly four-and-a-half hours meeting at the AIADMK’s state headquarters at Royapettah here.

BJP’s national co-incharge for Tamil Nadu P Sudhakar Reddy, former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, senior leader C P Radhakrishnan and party’s Mahila Morcha national president and Coimbatore South legislator Vanathi Srinivasan, in addition to Annamalai, represented the party at the negotiations.

AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswami, Jayakumar and other senior leaders were present during the talks.

“There is no setback for us or any stalemate in parleys, as we didn’t approach AIADMK with a long wish-list or high expectations,” Annamalai later told reporters. He claimed that the AIADMK is functioning as a strong opposition party both inside and outside the state Assembly, especially in raising people’s issues. “We are working on being more constructive opposition,” the BJP president said and indicated that his party candidates would file their nomination papers next week.

Responding to a query, Annamalai said his BJP continued to be in the AIADMK alliance.

For its part, the ruling DMK continued to engage its allies in negotiations and on the second day today, the Dravidian major held talks with Thol Thirumavalavan-led Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). Like the opposition parties, candidates belonging to the DMK alliance would file their papers next week. The filing of nominations would end on February 4.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission has warned the representatives of rural local bodies of stringent action, if they contested the urban civic bodies elections without relinquishing their posts. “They would stand to be disqualified if they filed their nominations without resigning,” State Election Commissioner V Palanikumar said.