PM Modi and Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami (File photo)

CHENNAI: After months of speculation over an electoral alliance between AIADMK and BJP, the two sides late on Thursday night arrived at a 25-15 formula to share Tamil Nadu’s 40 Lok Sabha seats (including the lone Puducherry seat). The two parties agreed to apportion seats to smaller parties from their own share.

A source privy to a three-hour meeting chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam had with Union finance minister Piyush Goyal told TOI that BJP may get eight seats, leaving four for PMK and three for DMDK. From its 25 seats, AIADMK has to accommodate G K Vaasan’s TMC, N Rangaswamy’s NRC and K Krishnaswamy’s PT. All the small parties, however, may not get to contest.

TOI, on February 4, had reported that such an alliance was being firmed up. AIADMK ministers P Thangamani and S P Velumani were present at the meeting held at the residence of industrialist Pollachi N Mahalingam in Alwarpet in Chennai. “All parties are on board and we have managed to form a mega alliance, which the BJP could not do in 2014,” said the source.

“Seats for individual parties will be decided from within the respective quota and a second round of meeting will be held early next week to thrash out minor differences before a formal announcement. Some of the constituents may not get a seat,” said the source.

Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state president Tamilisai Sounderarajan accompanied Goyal from the airport to the industrialist’s residence, but they were asked to sit in another room. “The finer details of the alliance are known only to Goyal and BJP president Amit Shah and the top four from AIADMK present at the meeting,” the source said.

To avoid media attention, EPS and OPS reached the meeting venue well before Goyal’s convoy arrived. After the meeting, Goyal, Pon Radhakrishnan and Tamilisai left for the airport around 1am. Thangamani and Velumani, too, left around the same time, but EPS and OPS stayed back and made a late exit discreetly.

Insiders said there were lingering issues over getting all the prospective constituents on board. PMK wanted AIADMK to negotiate with it directly, since it has a bigger vote than BJP in Tamil Nadu. BJP leaders, however, feel they can bring around Anbumani Ramadoss to make the formal announcement soon.

There were also differences within AIADMK over alliance partners. Talks picked up pace after BJP top brass deputed two businessmen from Tamil Nadu to talk to all parties.

While the exact numbers and seats to be contested by each party is yet to be firmed up, a broad understanding has been reached, a source in AIADMK said. BJP’s prospective seats include South Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Sivaganga, Tenkasi and Perambalur, besides a toss-up between Tirupur/Pollachi and Tirunelveli/Ramanathapuram. It was keen on Trichy, but AIADMK declined to part with it.

PMK is likely to contest from Arakkonam, Arani, Dharmapuri and either Chidambaram or Villupuram. The party wants Puducherry, but it may go to NR Congress if the alliance leadership decides to give the Puducherry party a seat.

DMDK is likely to get Central Chennai, Cuddalore and Kallakurichi. The party wanted Salem, which is EPS’s bastion, but AIADMK wouldn’t part with it. Goyal is expected to be back in the city on Monday or Tuesday.



In Video: AIADMK is all set to join hands with BJP, say sources