BJP gets a boost in TN with PMK, DMDK joining for tie-up

BJP in Tamil Nadu got a boost today with two of its prospective allies DMDK and PMK declaring that they will enter into negotiations with the saffron party on a day of swift political developments that saw the two Left parties announce snapping of ties with AIADMK over seat-sharing row.
DMDK announced it will forge an alliance for the coming elections and started parleys with BJP.
"DMDK has decided to contest the elections in alliance and has begun talks with BJP," a brief party release said.
Though DMDK did not elaborate on the number of seats it would bargain with BJP and other electoral issues, state BJP unit president Pon Radhakrishnan said "we are happy DMDK has come out in the open about the talks it is holding with BJP."

PMK, a party claiming to represent backward Vanniyar community, authorised its founder S Ramadoss to decide on alliance and in pursuant to that he announced a panel headed by party president G K Mani to hold seat-sharing talks with BJP and the two will meet soon.
The Left parties signalled the end of their electoral alliance with Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK, blaming the ruling party's 'approach' towards seat-sharing with CPI-M and CPI.

The state secretaries of the two parties, G Ramakrishnan (CPI-M) and D Pandian (CPI) announced their intention to face the polls together even as DMK chief M Karunanidhi sent feelers to them to join his party-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).

Asked if DMK would invite the two to join DPA, he said " I don't think they should not be invited. We will accept them if they come," he said.
Meanwhile, his party allotted Chidambaram (SC) constituency to VCK, which seemed to have not gone down well with the Dalit party as a party activist allegedly try to set himself ablaze upset over the allotment of only one seat. Karunanidhi flayed the attempt, saying it bordered on madness.
In the midst of the political churning in the state capital, Jayalalithaa launched the third of her election rallies in Nagapattinam, slamming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his handshake with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Myanmar instead of sending a 'stern' message to stop continuing arrests of fishermen from the state.