VCK welcomes PMK joining DMK combine

Chennai,Feb21 (PTI) Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founderThol Thirumavalavan today welcomed PMK joining the DMK-ledDemocratic Progressive Alliance, saying this will strengthenruling DMK''s prospects in the northern districts in the TamilNadu Assembly elections due in May.

"The fact that VCK and PMK are in the same alliance willstrengthen its prospects in the northern districts of thestate," he said in an apparent reference to the possibilityof consolidation of Vanniyar (most backward community) andDalit votes in that region.

While PMK is a Vanniyar-backed party,Thirumavalavan''s VCKhas a considerable presence among Dalit votebank in the state.

Speaking to reporters here after holding the first round ofseat-sharing talks with DMK''s election panel,Thirumavalavansaid talks were satisfactory but added a decision on number ofseats to be allotted to VCK by the senior ally would be knownonly after the next round of talks.