Chennai, March 20 The ruling DMK on Friday criticized AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami for holding seat-sharing talks in Delhi with the BJP, indicating that this was unprecedented, as the opposition party was leading the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
In a sarcastic tone, DMK leader and state minister K N Nehru asked the AIADMK to close its headquarters here, wondering how the Tamil Nadu-based party leading the coalition could have held talks in the national capital.
Nehru alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had invited Palaniswami for seat-sharing talks.
Meanwhile, TN BJP unit Chief Nainar Nagenthran hit back at the DMK over seat-sharing, saying, "What is wrong in that."
In a statement, Nehru, the DMK principal secretary, said, "If the AIADMK is leading the NDA in Tamil Nadu, then seat-sharing talks should have taken place at its headquarters in Chennai. But, Palaniswami is holding talks at Amit Shah's residence."
"Not even once have seat-sharing talks been held at the office of the party that is supposed to lead the alliance. Neither have the discussions happened at the Chennai residence of Palaniswami."
Nehru questioned whether the meeting could not be held at the AIADMK headquarters at Royapettah, built by its late founder M G Ramachandran.
He said: "You may lock the party headquarters in Avvai Shanmugham Salai in Royapettah until the elections are over."
"The party leading the alliance should allocate seats to BJP, PMK, AMMK and others. That has been the tradition under the late party leaders Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. But now, Palaniswami is waiting at another party leader's house asking for more seats for his own party. That shows how things have changed", Nehru said.
Noting that it was the third visit of Palaniswami to Delhi, Nehru said, "each time decisions are made after consulting Amit Shah."
"Is this All India Anna DMK or Amit Shah DMK? Even (AMMK leader) TTV Dhinakaran and PMK Leader Anbumani Ramadoss meeting Amit Shah showing they are no less dependent."
"AIADMK which should be deciding seat allocation, cannot even determine how many seats it will contest and is waiting at the door step of Amit Shah. Party workers themselves wonder whether the real power lies elsewhere," he remarked.
Meanwhile, Nagenthran said Union minister Piyush Goyal is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on March 21 and that seat-sharing talks would commence soon thereafter.
Nagenthran said, "The talks are yet to take place (on seat sharing). He (Edappadi K Palaniswami) went to Delhi and returned."
"Do you know for what reason he went to Delhi", Nagenthran, the Tirunelveli MLA, asked, hitting back at the DMK.
Attacking Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin, Nagenthran said, "Without knowing anything he makes comments. He does not know even the prevalence of Ganja culture in Tamil Nadu. Through media persons like you, he is asking such questions. I do not think whether seat sharing talks in their alliance got over or not.""
To a question whether the seat sharing talks of the AIADMK-led NDA alliance would take place in Kamalalayam- the BJP headquarters, or AIADMK head office in Chennai, he said, "You come tomorrow and see in person."