Tamil Nadu polls 2016: DMK, DMDK inch closer to alliance

Chennai, March 2: A significant breakthrough has been reached in the alliance talks between the DMK and DMDK and the tie-up could be sealed soon, top sources in the DMK said, according to a report in The News Minute.

The DMK sources reportedly said the deal has almost been finalised and an announcement could be soon. Other sources said just a few more details needed to be addressed, said the report.

According to the DMK sources, the Vijaykanth-led party had sought 90 seats and they have almost agreed on between 54 to 59 seats, the News Minute report said.

The News Minute also confirmed from different sources that DMK leaders like MK Stalin and others besides media baron KalanidhKarui Maran also carried out the talks with Vijaykanth to resolve the issues. DMK sources said the presence of Maran was because there were a lot of common friends around.

The DMK and Congress have already entered into an alliance for the Assembly poll

"There are some specifics that are still being discussed. For now, we have agreed that the DMDK will not be part of the state government, if the DMK alliance wins. But they will be part of local bodies and will be given mayoral posts. The numbers are yet to be decided," The News Minute report quoted a DMK leader as saying.

The talks between the DMK and DMDK have been going on for some time now. Though the DMK appeared certain about the DMDK joining it, sources in the DMDK, however, did not confirm the same. Even last month, Vijaykanth said in a public event that he wouldn't join either of the two major Dravidian parties and would play the role of a king, not a kingmaker.

In 2011, the DMDK had contested the Assembly polls with the AIADMK and fielded candidates from 41 seats. But things worsened after the elections after Jayalalithaa's party earned a majority of its own.
On February 28, Vijaykanth had a meeting with Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and they spoke on the possibility of the DMDK joining the NDA. The former termed it as a "courtesy call" while Javadekar said he was meeting "all NDA colleagues."

The DMDK was a part of the NDA during the 2014 Lok Sabha election but later, along with the MDMK and PMK, ended the ties with the BJP-led alliance.