AIADMK, CPM reach seat sharing agreement

Chennai, Apr 6 (ANI): The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) on Monday arrived at a seat sharing agreement, according to which the latter would contest the Madurai, Kaniyakumari and Coimbatore seats in the upcoming elections.

CPM state secretary N Varadarajan held talks with the AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa at her Pose Garden residence this afternoon and signed the pact.

The seat sharing talks between the two parties had remained inconclusive till now as the CPM was demanding either Coimbatore or adjoining Tirupur besides Madurai and Kaniyakumari won by it in 2004.

According to sources, Jayalalithaa was against handing over these seats as she considered them her party's strongholds.

The CPM also showed interest in fielding its candidates in North Chennai and Nagapattinam, but these were allocated to the CPI.

On March 31, CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat visited Chennai to hold negotiations with Jayalalithaa.

However, both sides stuck to their respective stands.

The Vaiko-led Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) is yet to reach a poll understanding with the AIADMK.

According to sources, a deal with the MDMK, which has been demanding five seats, is likely to be made either today or tomorrow. (ANI)