Press Trust of India / Chennai Mar 26, 2009, 12:00 IST
PMK, a constituent of the ruling UPA at the Centre, is all set to join the AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu as the party's top policy making body, the General Council, today began its crucial meeting to take a formal decision on the tie-up.
The meeting, being attended by all senior leaders, including PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss and his son and Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani, would take a final decision to align with the AIADMK, which has reportedly offered seven Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat, party sources said.
After the meeting, Ramadoss would call on AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha to ink the seat sharing pact, the sources said.
She has also invited MDMK leader Vaiko and leaders of CPI-M and CPI, allies of AIADMK, for tea this evening. She would sign the seat sharing agreements with these parties, AIADMK sources said.
Being the new moon day, considered auspicious as per the Tamil almanac, Jayalalithaa, a firm believer in astrology, would clinch the deals today itself, they said.
Of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry, MDMK is likely to be given five seats, the CPI-M three and the CPI two, party sources added.
Meanwhile, actor-politician Vijyakant, who is being wooed by Congress, is also likely to make an announcement on his party's stand when he launches his DMDK's campaign in Kanyakumari this evening.
It will be appropriate for India that local political parties should be allowed to contest for assembly elections only. Once they win and attain a minimum of 40% of total seats in the state, they should be allowed to contest for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. However, if they do not get a minimum of 5% of the total Lok Sabha seat in the election, they should be barred from contesting the next Lok Sabha election. Local parties may be good for states but would not be good at national level. Therefore, the restriction, as mentioned here, will eliminate horse-trading and greed for power to a great extent. People of the country at large should try for such an evolution. Local parties would encourage corruption. Therefore, come everybody and anybody to the parliament should be controlled for the benefit of the nation.
Content Guide
