DMK, Congress yet to reach seat-sharing deal

The DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party yesterday allotted five seats to its alliance partner MMK (Manithaneya Makkal Katchi) for the ensuing assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the parties said.The DMK and Congress, however, decided to hold further talks on seat-sharing at a later date.In a joint statement issued here by the DMK and MMK, they agreed that the latter will contest in five constituencies in the assembly elections.The actual constituencies in which Muslim party MMK would contest, would be decided in consultation with other alliance partners, the statement added.The DMK had earlier allotted five seats to the Indian Union of Muslim League (IUML) without specifying the names of the constituencies.A Congress delegation led by former union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mukul Wasnik and Tamil Nadu Congress president E V K S Elangovan called on DMK president M Karunanidhi.On the DMK side, apart from Karunanidhi, party treasurer M K Stalin, senior leader Duraimurugan and Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi were present.Speaking to reporters, Azad said the subject of seat-sharing came up but nothing was decided. He said the parties discussed the electoral strategy to be followed.He said more time had been given to the DMK on the number of seats to be allotted to the Congress.He said DMK was expecting a couple of more parties to join its front to fight next month’s assembly polls.Stalin said talks with the Congress leaders were cordial.In the 2011 elections, the Congress was given 63 seats by the DMK after some hard bargaining.The DMK pulled out of the Congress-led central government in 2013, accusing New Delhi of not handling the Sri Lanka crisis well.The two parties fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections separately in Tamil Nadu but drew a blank.Meanwhile Karunanidhi yesterday sent a legal notice to MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) chief Vaiko for defaming him and demanded withdrawal of the false statement issued by the latter against him. Karunanidhi also demanded Vaiko apologise.Vaiko had alleged that DMK had offered the DMDK (Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam) led by actor-turned-politician A Vijaykant 80 seats to contest in the May 16 legislative assembly polls and Rs5bn in cash if he joined the DMK alliance. Vaiko had made the allegation in Madurai.In his legal notice, Karunanidhi said he was shocked to hear the false and defamatory statement by Vaiko.