DMDK begins Lok Sabha poll alliance talks with BJP

The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, the main opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, on Thursday announced that it will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in alliance in Tamil Nadu and that it has begun talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Actor-turned politician Vijayakant’s party said in a brief statement, "The DMDK has decided to contest the elections in alliance and has begun talks with BJP."

Reacting to the announcement, BJP state unit president Pon Radhakrishnan said he was happy that the DMDK has come out publicly about the talks it was holding with his party.

The BJP has been engaged in hectic parleys with the DMDK and the Pattali Makkal Katchi to work out an electoral understanding for the Lok Sabha polls on April 24 to take on the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Although the BJP had drawn up a rough list of seats with the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, it was unable to iron out certain glitches in respect of certain seats with the DMDK and the PMK.

Last week, BJP chief Rajnath Singh had authorised the state unit to go ahead and finalise the poll pact with prospective parties.

After holding talks with the DMDK and the PMK, BJP leaders, including Radhakrishnan and L Ganesan, went to Delhi on Wednesday to get Singh's stamp of approval for the plan.

Radhakrishnan and Ganesan told PTI that the "outcome of the poll pact will be made known sooner than later."

Asked about the alliance with the PMK, BJP sources said they were hopeful that it would be finalised by Friday.

DMK and Congress had also wooed the DMDK, which had won 29 seats in the 2011 assembly polls in alliance with the AIADMK to emerge as the principal opposition.

Image: DMDK chief Vijayakant