CHENNAI: On a day when actor-politician Vijay is being grilled by the CBI over the stampede at his Karur rally last September that claimed 41 lives, sources said negotiations between his TVK and the National Democratic Alliance – led by the BJP at the national level – have entered the final phase.
Barring some niggles, most of the terms have been broadly settled and a formal announcement is expected within the next few days, sources familiar with the talks claimed.
While the broad contours of the proposed electoral arrangement have largely been agreed upon, the remaining hurdle is understood to be political optics rather than the arithmetic of seat sharing. According to sources, Vijay is keen that any pact should not create the impression that his fledgling party has conceded ground in the negotiations.
"The discussions are in the final stage. Most of the issues have been addressed and the talks are expected to reach a conclusion in a couple of days," a highly placed source told DT Next.
Sources indicated that the NDA has offered TVK between 50 and 70 Assembly seats as part of the proposed arrangement for the upcoming Assembly election. The offer is also said to include two possible political options for the party depending on the electoral outcome: Deputy Chief Minister's post if TVK joins the government, or the freedom to remain outside the Cabinet and assume the principal opposition role even if the alliance forms the government.
However, a key sticking point in the discussions remains Vijay's reluctance to publicly endorse AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami as the alliance's chief ministerial candidate. Sources said this hesitation has slowed the pace of the negotiations even as both sides continue efforts to bridge the remaining gaps.
The talks are also being conducted largely through back-channel negotiations, with a few intermediaries and senior figures within the BJP playing a role in facilitating discussions between Vijay's team and the NDA leadership. Significantly, sections of the AIADMK leadership and the BJP's Tamil Nadu state unit are said to have been kept out of the immediate negotiation process.
Even as the discussions continue, there is growing anticipation within TVK's organisational ranks for a decision on the alliance. Several state and district-level functionaries are said to favour contesting the election as part of a coalition rather than entering the fray independently.
Party insiders acknowledged that enthusiasm for a solo contest remains limited among the second-rung leadership. "Most of the district-level leaders prefer an alliance. They believe it would offer a stronger electoral platform," a district secretary told this correspondent.
With the alliance decision now effectively resting with Vijay, the nascent party faces the prospect of internal unease if it opts to go it alone. According to insiders, uncertainty over an independent contest has already triggered concerns among mid-level leaders about their electoral prospects.
"If an alliance is not finalised, some leaders may reconsider contesting the election or even explore other options," a party insider said, hinting at the possibility of organisational strain.