M Reyaz, BeyondHeadlines
Chennai: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the main opposition party in the state of Tamil Nadu, today held discussions with its allies on seat sharing for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
BeyondHeadlines had reported on March 16 that Jayalalithaa’s “trusted ally” Vaiko was not happy as she had offered only eight seats to his party Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and was apparently mulling over parting ways.
Other smaller parties too were not happy with the AIADMK, and media reports suggested they were planning a “third front” together. Trouble began when the AIADMK issued names of 160 candidates out of total 234 seats in the assembly on March 16.
Jayalalithaa has postponed her campaigns to sort out differences and chart a way out.
AIADMK had announced candidates for many seats held by Left parties or for those which other allies had requested. This left actor turned politician’s DMDK, CPI-M, CPI, MMK and the Forward Bloc fuming.
The AIADMK had unilaterally announced, while discussions were still going on, its decision to contest 160 seats leaving remaining 74 of the 234 assembly seats for its allies.: DMDK (41), CPI-M (12), CPI (10), MNMK (3), PT (2), SMK (2), RPI (1), FB (1), KYF (1) and AIMMK (1).
There are reports of some DMDK cadres burning the effigy of Jayalalitha and shouting slogans against her name.
