Chennai, March 20 (IANS) The AIADMK is set to conclude its seat-sharing arrangements with the BJP and other National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners within the next four days, party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced on Friday, signalling that negotiations are progressing smoothly ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Speaking to reporters, Palaniswami dismissed any speculation of friction within the alliance and expressed confidence that a mutually agreeable formula would soon be reached.
“You will know everything in four days. We will finalise and announce the constituencies that have been allotted,” he said, adding that discussions were being conducted in a “smooth and perfect” manner.
The former Chief Minister emphasised that the guiding principle of the seat-sharing exercise would be winnability.
According to him, constituencies would be allocated to allies based on their electoral strength and prospects.
“Our objective is to allot seats to our allies where they have bright chances of winning,” he noted.
Palaniswami’s remarks came a day after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. He described the interaction as cordial, stating that both leaders held detailed discussions on the evolving political landscape in Tamil Nadu and the strategy for the upcoming polls.
Further underlining the pace of negotiations, Palaniswami said BJP’s Tamil Nadu incharge Piyush Goyal is expected to visit the state on Saturday to carry forward the discussions and help finalise the agreement.
Responding to ongoing speculation about a possible tie-up with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Palaniswami firmly denied any such talks.
“As AIADMK general secretary, I have been consistently stating that we have not held discussions with TVK. There is no basis for such reports,” he said.
He also ruled out the possibility of new parties joining the NDA at this stage, asserting that the alliance framework has already been finalised.
On a separate issue, Palaniswami addressed the controversy surrounding AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP, C. Ve. Shanmugam’s remarks about actress Nayanthara. He said the matter should be considered closed, noting that the MP had already apologised.
“He has realised his mistake and expressed regret. It would not be appropriate to continue discussing it further,” Palaniswami added.
–IANS
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