MADURAI: After finally managing to wrap up the alliance deal following protracted negotiations with the DMDK, the four-party People’s Welfare Alliance (PWA) is aiming to finish the negotiations on seat-sharing among themselves quickly before it hits the ground running ahead of the coming Assembly polls in May.
According to the broad contours that are emerging, MDMK, the prime mover behind the formation of the alliance, is eyeing 40 Assembly constituency among the 110 that the PWA is contesting. The Dalit outfit VCK is seeking about 35-40 seats, while the CPM and CPI are seeking 20-25 each, said sources. However, a final picture is yet to emerge. The DMDK will contest from the rest 124 seats.
“The PWA and DMDK have reached a broad agreement on seat-sharing. We have to allot seats to parties which are holding talks with PWA from the 110 seats allotted to us, just as the DMDK has to allot seats to the parties which are in talks with them from their quota of 124,” said VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan said on Thursday morning.
Sources in MDMK said the party general secretary and alliance convenor Vaiko, who had once eyed Sattur constituency in Virudhunagar, is now also considering Velacherry in Chennai. VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, meanwhile, is eyeing Kattumannarkoil. The party is keen to put up a good performance, which is essential during the local body polls that are coming later in the year.
Among the partners of the coalition, the DMDK has its presence across the State - Villupuram, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur in the northern parts of the State; Madurai, Theni and Virudhunagar in the south and Coimbatore in the west. The case is similar with MDMK, but the party is stronger in the south - Madurai, Sivaganga, Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli; and parts of Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts in the West.
The VCK is strong in the north and north west where it would complement the DMDK - Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvallur, Ariyalur, Dharmapuri and parts of many other districts.
The comrades have their presence in industrial areas, the northern belt and also parts of coastal areas and Cauvery delta region in central part of the State - Nagapattinam, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Virudhunagar and Kanyakumari.
Interviews of AIADMK aspirants continue
Chennai: Interview of aspirants for Assembly elections continued for the third day on Thursday in the presence of AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence. Aspirants from constituencies in the districts of Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Vellore attended the interview on Thursday. Interview of candidates from other parts of Vellore district, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul and Madurai are expected to be covered on March 25.
No Woman to be posted on election night squads
Chennai: Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni has directed Collectors of all districts and Returning Officers of all 234 Assembly constituencies not to post women officers in flying squads and static surveillance squads of the Election Commission during night time. The CEO has sent a communication in this regard on March 23.
it’s DMDK-PWA alliance, not captain vijayakant’s
Chennai: The remarks by Vaiko during the coming together of DMDK and PWA on March 23, on the alliance between the DMDK and PWA being hereafter called as the Captain Vijaykant Alliance created confusion among the cadre. One of the leaders told Express that ”as per the seat-sharing agreement signed, we will call it the DMDK-PWA” and not otherwise.