DMDK chief A Vijayakant (File Photo | EPS)
CHENNAI: There are no permanent friends or foes when it comes to politics. That cliché has been given new life this poll season by Vijayakant’s DMDK, which is holding talks with DMK after pulling out of the AIADMK alliance on Tuesday night.
It is learnt that DMK, which finalised its poll pacts on Tuesday, has not shut the doors on Vijayakant’s party. Sources from the parties said that both are ready with their list of candidates, but have not released them, lest the talks turn fruitful.
DMDK sources privy to the developments said the party was not happy with the AIADMK’s “big brother attitude” and the way it “underestimated” the DMDK’s strength during seat-sharing talks.
“Further, their cadre did not cooperate with our candidates in 2019 parliamentary and rural local body polls,” a functionary said.
Sources said that initially the expectation from the ruling party was for a “respectable number of seats” since they have been partners for two years, but now, the DMDK only seeks “respect” and a few seats from DMK.
According to another district secretary, the DMDK was aware that an alliance with AMMK or MNM might fetch them more seats, but neither was likely to form a government.
“In this situation, the wise choices are to either go alone or join with the DMK."
Share of other allies
DMK on Wednesday allocated Assembly constituencies to its three alliance partners MDMK, IUML and AIFB, and the poll pacts were inked. Three constituencies have been allocated to IUML.
The constituencies are Kadayanallur, Vaniyambadi and Chidambaram. The party will contest under its recognised symbol “Ladder”.
MDMK has been allocated Madhurantakam( reserved), Sattur, Palladam, Madurai( South), Vasudevanallur( reserved) and Ariyalur. Usilampatti has been allocated for All India Forward Bloc.
Both parties and their seven candidates will contest under the rising sun symbol.
Meanwhile, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, spoke to reporters, after emerging from the talks with the seat-sharing panel of the DMK,
“Of the six Assembly constituencies, which have been allocated for VCK in the DMK-led alliance, four constituencies have been identified and the works for identifying remaining two Assembly constituencies are going on. We have demanded four reserved constituencies and two general Assembly constituencies in the alliance. The list of constituencies, where VCK will contest, would be released on Thursday evening,” he said.
