Chennai: No conclusive announcements were made after the first round of BJP-AIADMK alliance and seat-sharing talks held Thursday between Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam.
However, both BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Shipping Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said that positive news would be announced soon.
The marathon session of pre-poll alliance talks and negotiations that began around 10 pm on Thursday extended till 1 am today. Earlier it was reported that only Electricity Minister Thangamani and Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani negotiated with the BJP delegation. However, the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister themselves participated in the pre-poll talks.
Sources said that even before Minister Piyush Goyal arrived at the bungalow of late industrialist Pollachi Mahalingam in Alwarpet, Chennai, both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam had reached there and were waiting for him. Sources say that the alliance is finalised but there was a lot to be desired by both parties as for seat sharing and allocation for parties like DMDK and PMK that are also looking for tie-ups for the polls..
Upset Thambidurai
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Thambi Durai from AIADMK expressed his disappointment over his party holding talks with BJP and said that it is against the will of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
He said, “It was Jayalalithaa primary principle to face elections alone. But now, it is unfortunate that AIADMK is holding talks for an alliance.”