India
AIADMK moves ahead of DMK to woo PMK into a pact for Lok Sabha polls. Union minister Piyush Goyal is all set to finalise the deal between AIADMK, BJP and PMK
Chennai: After sealing the deal with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on Monday, the BJP has moved down south to join hands with the AIADMK and the PMK in Tamil Nadu. Sources say that the PMK has agreed for seven seats including one Rajya Sabha seat.
PMK has also agreed to extend support to the AIADMK in the 21 Assembly seats during bypolls.
Differences between PMK founder S Ramadoss and son Anbumani Ramadoss are believed to have caused the delay. DMDK, Puthiya Thamazhagam, former AIADMK member AC Shanmugham's party Puthiya Neethi Katchi, and others are said to be NDA's allies, apart from the PMK.
Sources say that the AIADMK is vying for 25 seats of the 40 seats including Puducherry. Once Goyal finalises the seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP national president Amit Shah will travel to Chennai and make a formal announcement.
DMDK's Vijaykanth arrived in Chennai yesterday. The party claimed that they were being wooed by "big parties" for the Lok Sabha elections.
BJP sources said that they were waiting to hear from actor-politician Rajinikanth to arrive at an electoral understanding. Rajinikanth recently announced that his party wouldn't be contesting the general elections.
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