CHENNAI: The seat-sharing negotiations in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) have hit a bottleneck, with several of the long-time allies demanding a larger share of seats ahead of the elections.
While the CPI, CPM and VCK are pressing for more seats than what they contested in the 2021 Assembly polls, Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan went a step ahead and said that his party was having second thoughts about continuing with the ruling DMK for one seat.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Velmurugan said they had demanded more seats, but have not yet heard from the DMK. “In such a scenario, majority of the members of our party’s high-level committee have asked to reconsider having an alliance with the ruling DMK for the same one seat that we contested in 2021,” he said, adding that the party had also submitted a 10-point demand to the DMK, on which the latter is yet to revert.
Both CPI and CPM, which had contested in six seats each and won two each last time, have also demanded an increase in their seats. After the first round of talks with the DMK, the Left parties had separately demanded to increase at least one seat each as the SPA is crowded with new partners.
“The DMK is asking us to contest in five seats, one less than 2021. We are of the opinion that at least the same six seats should be retained for us. But, the DMK is yet to revert,” sources in the Left parties told TNIE.
Disgruntled CPI and CPM held marathon meetings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to discuss the available options and explore the possibilities to continue in the alliance and contest the elections.
Reacting to the CPM’s reference to the Congress for seeking more seats, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai told reporters that the alliance partners should understand the situation of the Grand Old Party.
“We once contested in 100+ seats and we have been reduced to 61, 40, and 25. So, after a very long time, we demanded 41 and settled for a meagre hike with 28 seats. So, if the alliance partners want more seats, they can ask the CM and he would be generous to give it. But the partners should not target the Congress,” Selvaperunthagai said.
However, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan on Sunday maintained that the seat-sharing talks with the DMK are going on smoothly. According to sources, the VCK, which contested in six seats and won four in 2021, is likely to get one or two more seats, depending on the negotiations.
