DMDK scales down its demand to 23 seats

The ruling AIADMK on Saturday resumed seat sharing talks with the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) after a gap of several days.

Leaders of the two parties expressed confidence that a deal would be worked out soon.

The AIADMK’s deputy coordinator K. P. Munusamy refused to be drawn into the number of seats to be earmarked for the DMDK. “This has to be decided by the party leadership,” he said.

The DMDK’s deputy general secretary B. Parthasarathi said his party had scaled down its original demand of 41 seats to 25 seats to 23 seats now. The AIADMK had assured his party that one Rajya Sabha seat would be offered, he said.

So far, the AIADMK allotted 23 seats to the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and 20 seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mr Munusamy also stated that yet another round of talks with the PMK was held during the day for the identification of constituencies.

Asked whether the agreements with all allies for seat sharing and allocation of constituencies would be signed on Monday, the AIADMK functionary replied: “everything should be over shortly.”