DMDK, AIADMK seal alliance

After being in the works for nearly a month, Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK on Sunday clinched alliance with actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK by allotting four Lok Sabha seats to the latter. This is a major climbdown for the DMDK, which had once boasted of 10% vote share, that has been demanding seven seats so that it is treated on par with the PMK.

The alliance was sealed between Vijayakanth and AIADMK leaders Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam at a five-star hotel here, hours after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule. Elections to 39 Lok Sabha seats and by-polls to 18 Assembly constituencies will be held on April 18.

Announcing the alliance, Vijayakanth’s wife Premalatha said the DMDK will support AIADMK candidates in all 18 Assembly constituencies that are going to by-polls. The DMDK has been swinging like a pendulum between AIADMK and DMK by holding talks with both the parties for an alliance.

With this, the AIADMK has so far allotted 19 seats to its alliance partners – PMK (7), BJP (5), DMDK (4), Puthiya Tamizhagam (1) and NR Congress of Puducherry (1). It is expected to allot one seat to Tamil Maanila Congress and contest on its own in the remaining 20 seats.