Chennai, March 23 – The AIADMK formally announced its seat-sharing arrangement with key allies for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on Monday, bringing clarity to weeks of negotiations within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
However, the party refrained from announcing the number of constituencies it would contest, leaving a crucial aspect of the electoral puzzle unresolved.
The announcement came shortly after Union Minister and BJP's Tamil Nadu election in-charge, Piyush Goyal, arrived in Chennai to oversee the final round of discussions.
Addressing the media during a press conference, alliance leaders confirmed that the BJP would contest 27 seats, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) 18, and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), led by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, 11 seats.
Despite this breakthrough, uncertainty remains about the AIADMK's own share, which is expected to form the majority of the remaining constituencies.
Party sources indicated that internal deliberations were still ongoing, with leaders keen to strike a balance between accommodating allies and retaining key strongholds.
Negotiations within the alliance had hit a snag in recent days, particularly over the BJP's initial demand for more than 50 seats, including high-profile constituencies in Chennai such as T Nagar.
The AIADMK, however, maintained that it could not concede beyond a limited number without weakening its core electoral base.
The deadlock prompted AIADMK General Secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, to travel to New Delhi last week, where he held discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Senior leaders from allied parties, including PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss and AMMK chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran, were also part of parallel consultations aimed at resolving differences.
Meanwhile, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is moving forward with its own alliance-building efforts. The party has already finalized seat-sharing with the Congress, allocating 28 constituencies, and with the CPI, which has been given five seats.
Talks are ongoing with other partners, including the CPM and DMDK, as the Secular Progressive Alliance seeks to present a united front.
However, sources said the Congress has submitted a list of 39 preferred constituencies, many in Chennai, posing fresh challenges for the DMK leadership.
The competing demands within both alliances underline the complex negotiations shaping the electoral battlefield ahead of the polls.
