The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP sealed an alliance for the Lok Sabha election in which then BJP would contest five seats in the state. The deal comes just after the PMK had been offered 7 seats
Chennai: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP have sealed an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The BJP would contest five seats under the AIADMK in the state, among the 33 available in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry constituencies after the PMK was allotted seven seats.
The announcement was made by deputy chief minister, O Panneerselvam and Union Minister Piyush Goyal after final round of discussions were held between the two parties. The discussions also saw the involvement of Chief Minister K Palaniswami. However, it is still not clear how many seats the AIADMK would contest.
We will sweep to power,” said Piyush Goyal at the packed press meet outside the hotel where the "mega alliance" talks were being conducted. He said the victory would be a tribute to AIADMK supremo late Jayalalithaa whom he remembered meeting in 2016 for power reforms in the State.
The two parties will also team up for the by-elections, said Union Minister Piyush Goyal, the BJP's negotiator. "The alliance will contest the Tamil Nadu elections under the leadership of the AIADMK and the Lok Sabha elections in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," added Goyal.
The AIADMK had earlier clinched a deal with the Pattali Makkal Katchi, offering the Vanniyar-based party seven of its 40 seats, including one in the neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry. However, the two parties steered away from announcing the constituencies that had been allotted to the party led by Dr S Ramadoss.
This "mega alliance" only goes on to show that the AIADMK, which swept the last national election, winning 37 seats, will settle for 12 lesser.
All parties are scrambling to stitch together their alliance today as it is considered an auspicious Full Moon Day. In fact, many believe the announcement regarding the BJP, AIADMK alliance was delayed deliberately in the evening in order to wait for the inauspicious time to pass.
BJP also had been keen on joining hands with Rajinikanth, at a time when it was struggling to make an impact on the state of Tamil Nadu. The BJP's joining with the AIADMK looked bleak and there was no chance of joining with the DMK, the party had nowhere else to pin it's hopes on except with Rajinikanth and his party. Now that Rajini's lips are tightly sealed, the BJP has turned towards captain Captain Vijayakanth's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and the Pattali Makkal Katchi.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.