BJP holds talks with PMK, DMDK on seat sharing

CHENNAI: After successfully sewing up a formidable alliance with two local outfits ahead of the April 24 Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu, the BJP today commenced talks on seat sharing with DMDK and PMK.

A team of PMK office-bearers led by its president G K Mani met state unit BJP State president Pon Radhakrishnan for parleys.

PMK sources hoped that the entire exercise of finalising seat sharing pact would be completed in a few days.

Later BJP leaders, including Pon Radhakrishnan, held talks with DMDK functionaries at the latter's office.

Besides PMK and DMDK, outfits such as MDMK, Indiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK) and Konganadu Party would also be part of the alliance.

The BJP leaders would also hold consultations with these parties, sources said.

"We are confident that all issues would be addressed and the alliance is expected to take shape in two-three days. We want Rajnath Singh to formally announce it and we have conveyed the same to him," Radhakrishnan told reporters here.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that BJP and PMK will get eight seats each, MDMK seven and the lion's share of 14 seats going to the Vijayakanth-led DMDK and the rest to smaller parties like the IJK out of 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu.