CHENNAI: After sealing a poll pact with the PMK on Saturday, the AIADMK is keen to wrap up seat sharing talks with other allies too. As home minister Amit Shah’s arrival in Chennai on Saturday night was delayed, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam are expected to meet him on Sunday morning for quick discussions on seat sharing on Sunday morning before the senior BJP leader hits the campaign trail in the Union territory of Puducherry and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK leadership is expected to clinch the deal in the presence of Shah, sources said. “The announcement on the number of seats will be made public soon. After the EPS-OPS meeting with Shah, the rest are mere formalities (seat-sharing with other allies),” said a source in the party. Shah’s arrival in Chennai was pushed to 12.30 am on Sunday and hence EPS and OPS would meet him around 8 am on Sunday, added the source.
BJP state president L Murugan, however, refused to divulge the number of seats that they sought. “We are sure that a good number of BJP representatives will step into the Tamil Nadu assembly. Our aim is double-digit,” he said and refused to elaborate further.
The party’s core committee has prepared a list of 60 favourable constituencies, mostly in Coimbatore and neighbouring districts, and strengthened the booth level committees. “We have shared the list of constituencies where we will have a bright opportunity to win. It has been discussed and deliberated upon at various levels. Now, we are awaiting our national leaders (Shah and J P Nadda) to finalise the seats,” said a core committee member.
Earlier in the day, the BJP’s national general secretary C T Ravi along with Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and V K Singh, who were the election in-charge, besides state president L Murugan called on the CM and the deputy CM at their respective camp offices.
Sources in the national party said they have commenced seat-sharing talks keeping 60 seats in mind. The party has identified the favorable constituencies long ago and started strengthening the booth level committees. “We are hoping that the seat-sharing talk ends on a happy note before our leader (Shah) returns to Delhi. The AIADMK leaders (EPS and OPS) will most likely meet him tomorrow to discuss the number of seats,” said another senior leader.
On Sunday, Shah would hold a series of meetings with senior leaders, core-committee members, and assembly constituencies’ in-charges of Puducherry before the public rally in Karaikal. Similarly, he would meet office bears and hold meetings with election in-charges and core committee of TN unit after the public rally in Villupuram.