Major TN parties in the process of striking alliances

Though there were reports about hitches in the seat-sharing talks between Congress and DMK, politicalobservers feel that Congress high command would finally cometo terms with the Dravidian party.

Congress, which had been insisting on power-sharing,more number of seats, a common minimum programme among otherthings had reportedly been hurt by DMK''s "unilateral"allocation of 31 seats to the PMK without taking it intoconfidence.

The DMDK''s decision to go along with theJayalalithaa-led AIADMK had sealed the prospects ofCongress-DMDK led Third Front in the state.

On the AIADMK front, the allocation of seats to keyallies like MDMK and Left parties depended on the number ofseats to be given to DMDK.

Speculation is rife that the fledgling party will begetting around 45 seats.

The Congress, which had been demanding over 80 seats,had been reportedly offered by the DMK 53 seats. But withtalks remaining inconclusive, it might get some more seats.

The VCK had demanded 15 seats but was likely to settlefor 11 seats reportedly offered by the DMK.

Minor players like parties floated by actor SarathKumar and some caste-based parties like Kongu Velalar MunnteraKazhagam, which had spoiled the chances of DMK combine ineastern Tamil Nadu during Lok Sabha polls, were yet tofinalise their poll strategy.