DMK to hold seat sharing talks with left parties, MDMK

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK would hold seat sharing talks with the Left parties and MDMK this weekend.

Highly placed sources in both parties confirmed that the CPI has been invited to DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam for talks on February 3.

A CPI delegation consisting of its senior leader and Tiruppur K Subbarayan would hold parleys with the DMK seat sharing team led by its treasurer T R Baalu Saturday morning.

CPIM and MDMK have been invited for talks the following day. Top sources in both parties disclosed that the Marxist party had been invited for talks at 10.30 am on February 4.

The same afternoon, the DMK would hold talks with ally MDMK led by Vaiko. Left party sources confided that they would not settle for anything less than the previous tally of two seats each.

"There is no question of even discussing less than the two seats allocated last time. We are pretty certain that the talks would be smooth and settled in just a couple of rounds. The first round of talks would be a mere exchange of numbers between the two parties. Probably, finalization of constituencies will take time, " said a senior Left leader on condition of anonymity.

The two left parties had successfully contested two seats in the company of the DMK in the 2019 Parliamentary polls. While the CPI (Marxist) holds Coimbatore and Madurai seats, the CPI would look forward to retaining Tiruppur and Nagapattinam seats.

Vaiko's MDMK, which had successfully contested from Erode Parliamentary constituency, appears to have shown interest in Virudhunagar, a sitting seat of the Congress held by AICC general secretary Manickam Tagore. If sources in the INDIA bloc are to be believed, the MDMK is keen on fielding its leader's son Durai Vaiyapuri from Virudhunagar.

The DMK, which looks forward to sealing the seat sharing deal with its allies in less than a fortnight, held the opening round of talks with the Congress here on Sunday.