TMC, Cong. unhappy with AIADMK offer

By Radha Venkatesan

CHENNAI, FEB. 20. With the AIADMK unwilling to raise the offer of seats for the TMC and the Congress, the TMC president, Mr. G.K. Moopanar, awaited a message from the Congress high command on finalising the electoral strategy for Tamil Nadu.

``The AIADMK's offer is far from satisfactory. We can take a decision only after hearing from the Congress,'' a senior TMC leader said, indicating that the alliance suspense would continue at least for the next couple of days.

While the AIADMK's offer remains unchanged at 35 seats for both the TMC and the Congress, the TMC hopes that its individual share alone would match ``at least its 37 sitting seats.''

But the AIADMK feels it has made the ``best offer'' and there is no scope for further increase. A senior AIADMK leader said, the party offer should not be compared with that of the DMK which was willing to part with 40 seats for the TMC. ``The DMK offered the TMC only seats. We are offering them MLAs''. Caught between an ``unsatisfactory offer from the AIADMK'' and pressures to float a third front, the TMC leader held discussions with the party's election committee at his residence this evening. The committee had earlier in the day shortlisted three ``favourable seats'' for the party in each district.

A section of the State Congress leaders, agitated by media reports that the AIADMK's offer was less than 10 seats for the party, is said to have urged the party high command to abandon the alliance with the AIADMK and float the third front. ``It is a pittance. And the Congress should consider breaking its ties with the AIADMK,'' a senior TNCC leader said.

In an indication of the strained ties, the AIADMK today admitted a group of Congress women's wings functionaries including a Corporation Councillor. Even as the TMC remained undecided on its electoral strategy, its ally in the last Parliamentary election, the Dalit Panthers of India, appeared to inch closer to the DMK Front. ``We are considering the DMK president, Mr. Karunanidhi's invitation to join the DMK Front,'' the DPI convenor, Mr. R. Thirumavalavan, said.

The DPI, a Dalit outfit based in northern districts had opposed the entry of its rival PMK into the AIADMK front and threatened to quit the secular front. It would take a decision on DMK's invitation soon, the DPI leader said, asserting that his aim was to defeat the ``political front which includes the casteist PMK''.

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Section  : Southern States
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