Chennai, Jan 29: As the Lok Sabha elections loom on the horizon, the political landscape in Tamil Nadu sees the initiation of seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the DMK, a crucial alliance in the state. The first round of discussions, held on Sunday at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, was described as “smooth” by All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Mukul Wasnik, who is also the convener of the National Alliance Committee (NAC).The meeting witnessed the participation of key leaders from both parties, including Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik, Salman Khurshid, Ajoy Kumar, KS Alagiri, K Selvaperunthagai, EVKS Elangovan, Karthi Chidambaram, and Vijay Vasanth. On the DMK side, prominent leaders such as TR Baalu, KN Nehru, E Periyasamy, K Ponmudy, A Raja, MRK Panneerselvam, and Trichy Siva were present to discuss the crucial matter of seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state.
Addressing reporters after the talks, Mukul Wasnik expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the discussions. “We have completed the first round of seat-sharing with DMK leaders. We also discussed Puducherry. It went smoothly. Both parties have been working together for a long time. Negotiations are going well. Once it is completed, we will announce the constituencies,” he announced.
Wasnik also shared his hope for Tamil Nadu to play a significant role in safeguarding democracy. “People are dissatisfied with the government at the Centre. We hope this will help us fight against the forces that are destroying the country and those who are a threat to India’s democracy,” he remarked, emphasizing the collective mission to protect democratic values.
In response to JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar’s exit from the INDIA bloc, Wasnik expressed confidence that the alliance would only grow stronger, contributing to the overall strength of India. “Soon the INDIA bloc will become stronger to make India stronger,” he stated, underlining the resilience and adaptability of political alliances in the run-up to the elections.