CHENNAI: With only four days left for the filing of nominations to conclude in Puducherry and just 10 days left for the nomination process to start in Tamil Nadu, intense political drama is unfolding in both regions. Parties are hard-pressed for time to finalise the seat-share arrangement while ensuring the best deals for themselves.
In the NDA, where the formal alliance talks remained a non-starter, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami flew to Delhi and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence on Thursday night to finalise the seats. The meeting lasted for 75 minutes. EPS is likely to share details of the outcome of the meeting on Friday.
While a few DMK leaders were critical of Palaniswami’s visit, terming it as yet another indication of the BJP being the true “master” of the alliance, things are far from being settled in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in TN as the ruling party is trying hard to keep its long-term allies happy.
As the CPM remains firm on getting at least six seats, it is learnt that CM and DMK president MK Stalin personally reached out to VCK to request if the party could relax its seat demands a little to tackle the situation.
In Puducherry, DMK and Congress are yet to finalise their seat-sharing agreement. Meanwhile, speculation is rife as to whether the NDA will remain intact in the Union Territory as BJP ally AINRC’s CM N Rangasamy took off on a series of temple visits when BJP’s emissary and Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was cooling his heels in Puducherry on Thursday with the hope of negotiating with Rangasamy.