DMK too confirms alliance with Cong on for TN local polls

After days of being wooed by Congress, which was harping that its alliance with DMK would continue for the local body elections as well, the Karunanidhi led party also confirmed it today.
The DMK asked its district secretaries to hold talks for the coming civic polls with all parties that had been part of its alliance for the May 16 Assembly polls.
An announcement in DMK Tamil daily 'Murasoli' by party general secretary K Anbazhagan today directed secretaries to "deliberate with district functionaries of parties who were part of our party-led alliance in the Assembly election."
Such talks were for "deciding the seats where the coalition parties had the opportunity to contest," he said.

DMK fought the May 16 Assembly elections in alliance with Congress, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Indian Union Muslim League, breakaway group of DMDK, "Makkal DMDK," and other parties. Makkal DMDK later merged with DMK.
The announcement assumes significance as this is the first time the DMK has announced that its alliance will continue with Congress, though leaders of the national party had been claiming so.

Anbazhagan told the district secretaries to send their inputs and recommendations on seat sharing, based on deliberations, to the party headquarters.
The communique comes days after DMK deliberated the local body elections vis-a-vis continuing with allies for local polls as well in its district secretaries' meeting held on September 18 here.

Though the party was expected to come out with a formal announcement on the question of alliance, it did not happen.
DMK had said that the decision would be announced later.
Also, a day after the September 18 DMK meet, TNCC chief Thirunavukkarasar had called on Karunanidhi and later asserted that the alliance between Congress and DMK would continue for the local body elections as well.
Speaking to reporters today, Thirunavukkarasar said "you (journalists) have been saying that only we (Congress) are claiming that the alliance continues with DMK. Today DMK too has officially confirmed that," he said, adding seat-sharing talks "begins now" between the two parties.

Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) chief G K Vasan too had recently called on DMK chief and party treasurer M K Stalin, apparently to explore possibilities to forge an electoral understanding.
Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi chief Easwaran too had called on Stalin over the local body elections. Civic polls are expected to be held next month.