The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the two Left parties, the CPI and the CPI(M), have decided to fight the local body elections together. The decision follows the AIADMK's refusal to accommodate their demand for more seats. The DMDK and the Left parties were part of the AIADMK alliance in the April Assembly elections.
The leaders of these three parties will jointly announce the decision on Monday at the DMDK headquarters.
On Sunday, the CPI(M) leaders led by the party's state secretary G. Ramakrishnan on Sunday met DMDK leader and actor Vijayakant at the latter's party office and discussed in detail the shape of the front. Even before meeting Mr Vijayakant, the CPI(M) leaders held talks with the DMDK's presidium chairman Panruti S. Ramachandran, culminating in the new arrangement.
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A meeting between the leaders of the DMDK and the CPI further strengthened the prospects of a new front. The two left parties also had a meeting among themselves.
“Mr Vijayakant favoured the idea and we are going to face the elections together,” said a senior CPI(M) leader who met the actor. Besides G. Ramakrishnan, State secretariat members K. Balakrishnan and P. Sampath were present during the meeting.
Though the CPI(M) had released two lists of candidates for the local bodies, the party leaders said an agreement could be reached between DMDK and the CPI over seat-sharing.
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Talks between the CPI(M) and the AIADMK failed to break the deadlock after the party submitted its wish-list on September 22, but the CPI continued to hold talks with the AIADMK.
“The offer made by the AIADMK is far below our expectations. We don't want a raw deal,” a CPI(M) leader said. The CPI(M) also expressed its displeasure over the AIADMk's decision to release the list of candidates while the talks were on. Mr Ramakrishnan wrote to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to hold back the list before resuming the talks, but the AIADMK went ahead, ignoring the CPI(M) demand.
The talks between the CPI and the AIADMK could not progress as the ruling party was not ready to part with any of the nine Municipal Corporations going to the polls.
The CPI(M) on Saturday released its first list of candidates and the second list on Sunday. The party's State committee will further assess the political situation arising out of the new developments.