Small parties want more, Jaya in a fix

CHENNAI: Glitches in seat-sharing talks in the AIADMK camp have delayed the sealing of pacts with the DMDK, the MDMK and some minor parties for the assembly elections. With the arithmetic proving complex and allies bent on improving their earlier scores, AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa is faced with the tough proposition of juggling the numbers to please senior partners and some potential allies.

While the DMDK is said to be sticking to its demand of 46 seats, Vaiko's MDMK, a loyal ally since the 2006 assembly polls, has submitted a wishlist of 39 seats. Strains have crept up in deals with some small parties, including K Krishnasamy's Puthiya Tamizhagam and actor Karthik's Agila Indiya Nadalum Makkal Katchi, pitching for more seats.

While Jayalalithaa sealed poll alliances with the Puthiya Tamizhagam (two seats) and N Sethuraman's Muvendra Munani Kazhagam (one seat) last week, Krishnasamy on Saturday expressed unhappiness with his share and demanded at least seven more seats. Actor Karthik is insistent that his Thevar-dominant party should not get less than PT, a dalit party. His party will not get more than two seats, AIADMK sources indicated.

The MDMK, which had aligned with the AIADMK in the 2006 assembly election and the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, wants 39 seats, four more than it contested in the last assembly elections. But the party had won only six seats then. "The MDMK is not likely to be given more than 15 seats," an AIADMK source confirmed. And actor Vijayakanth's DMDK is unlikely to settle for less than 40 seats, party leaders said.

Even as the Left parties began negotiations the CPM's poll panel met AIADMK leaders on Saturday and the CPI's committee is slated to hold talks on Sunday Krishnasamy said his party should get at least nine seats to make them eligible for getting recognition from the election commission. "We need at least 8 MLAs or two MPs to get the recognition from the election commission as a state party. If we don't get at least nine seats, it will be difficult for us to get the recognition. So we hope the AIADMK will reconsider its decision," Krishnasamy told reporters.

"When the agreement was signed, the AIADMK said the PMK might join the alliance and it was impossible for the party to give us more than two seats. Now that the PMK has already joined hands with the DMK, I think our party should get more seats," he said.

Asked what the party's next move would be if the AIADMK did not accept its demand, Krishnasamy said he would decide on future plans on Sunday. "Our party is not a cadre-based party, villagers are our strength. We have the support of dalits in the remote villages of Tamil Nadu. A 15-member committee of PT will be meeting the three-member AIADMK electoral committee on Sunday to press the demand. We hope the AIADMK will understand our demand," he said.