The stalemate in seat-sharing negotiations between the Congress and DMK is likely to end in a day or two as the Congress, which adopted a tough posture, may decide to make a climbdown, sources said. With the five-member negotiation team, comprising Union ministers P. Chidambaram and G.K. Vasan and TNCC president K.V.
Thangkabalu on Monday conveying their inability to extract more seats, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has deputed AICC general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad to negotiate with the DMK leadership. Sources said he had contacted the DMK leadership to convey a “pragmatic” demand.
The two rounds of talks failed with the Congress’ pointman P. Chidambaram demanding 90 seats and the DMK offering 53, five more than its 2006 tally.
Informed sources said the Congress no longer demands 80 or 90 seats and has come down to around 60 in the 234-member state Assembly.
An agreement with senior partner DMK would be signed within the next couple of days.
The DMK stretched its offer by a couple of seats, sources said.
With the Election Commission now announcing the election schedule for Tamil Nadu, a sense of urgency has arisen among the longtime allies to sew up the seat-sharing pact and begin campaign for the April 13 poll.
The second round of talks had ended abruptly and triggered speculation that the alliance could break up. Sources said the Congress has climbed down to “a reasonable allotment of seats” and also agreed to defer the power-sharing demand to after the poll. The announcement of poll schedule has triggered urgency in the AIADMK-led camp.
It is now expected that the DMDK, led by actor Vijayakanth, will sign the agreement with the AIADMK on Friday.