CHENNAI: Failing to make any headway in its negotiations with the CPM, which is refusing to relent from its demand for more than six seats, ruling alliance leader DMK moved laterally to tentatively finalise seat-sharing talks with key Dalit ally, the VCK, on Thursday.
Sources said talks were held between Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan MP, during which it was decided that the latter outfit will contest from six seats in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry for the April 23 elections. However, a formal agreement is yet to be finalised.
Seat-sharing talks within the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) continue to remain fluid, especially after the CPM remained steadfast on its demand for more than six seats that it contested in the 2021 Assembly polls. A day ago, its partner on the Left, the CPI, had agreed to reduce the demand to five seats but the Marxist party leadership is adopting a wait-and-watch approach.
The DMK is also negotiating with the DMDK, the latest entrant in the alliance, which has demanded double-digit allocation, while the offer is six to eight seats. The DMDK was already allotted a Rajya Sabha seat that it won in the recent elections.
Sources said the DMK is likely to finalise the pact with the VCK first and then move to conclude talks with the DMDK within a day.
Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan-led MNM is facing pressure from the DMK, which is willing to spare two to three seats provided the candidates were fielded on its 'Rising Sun' symbol.
However, the MNM is keen on contesting under its own 'Battery Torch' symbol, leading to friction within the coalition. After the second round of talks failed, Kamal has convened an emergency meeting on Friday to decide the next course of action.
So far, the DMK has allotted 28 seats to the Congress, five to CPI, two each to IUML, MMK, and KMDK, and four to the MDMK (including three candidates to be fielded on ‘Rising Sun’ symbol).
Out of the 234 Assembly constituencies, only 43 seats have been finalised for alliance partners till now, leaving a significant portion still under negotiation as the election schedule advances.
VCK likely to get 6 seats in Tamil Nadu and 1 in Puducherry
No breakthrough in talks with CPM
MNM may get only 2 seats if it contests under its own symbol (Battery torch)
No fresh talks yet with DMDK