Baalu likely to meet PM as Cong-DMK standoff over seat sharing continues

New Delhi/Chennai, Mar 5 (ANI): Even as the seat-sharing stalemate between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its alliance partner, the Congress, continues, senior DMK leader TR Baalu is likely to meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today to convey his party's message on the issue.

The Congress-DMK seat sharing talks for the April 13 Tamil Nadu assembly polls plunged into a crisis on Friday night after the DMK expressed its displeasure over the constantly rising demands of the Congress. There are speculations that the DMK may end its seven-year-old alliance with the Congress and withdraw its support to the UPA Government.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi issued a statement in Chennai past midnight asking whether it was proper for the Congress, which had agreed for 60 seats earlier, to now demand 63 seats.

Karunanidhi said: "After having agreed to 60 seats, is it proper on the part of the Congress to demand 63 seats now and, on top of that, say that it would contest the elections in the constituencies of its choice?"

"An appropriate decision would be taken on Saturday by the DMK's high-level action committee," he added.

The meeting between All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad and Karunanidhi was cancelled earlier on Friday after the former decided to rush to New Delhi for further consultations with the Congress leadership.

Before his departure, Azad told reporters here that he had a long discussion with Karunanidhi late last night.

"Whatever has come out of the discussion, I have to discuss with my leadership. "We will have another round of meetings soon," he added

Azad, who is in-charge of the party's Tamil Nadu affairs, arrived in Chennai on Wednesday after the Congress decided to adopt a practical approach as the talks between the five-member panel appointed by the high command and the DMK's election committee had failed to make any headway on the seat-sharing issue.

Delegations of both parties had held a second round of talks on February 25, but no progress was made. The Congress is insisting on the allocation of more seats.

The first round of the seat sharing talks between both was held on February 20.

Congress sources had earlier indicated that the party could settle for around 60 seats for the elections. The party had begun negotiations with a demand of 80 plus seats out of the 234 seats up for grabs in the state.

There are only 17 days left for the filing of nominations to begin and the poll schedule announced by the Election Commission has given parties less time for campaigning as compared to earlier elections.

The DMK has completed the seat sharing exercise with minor allies like the PMK, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the IUML and the Movendar Munnetra Kazhagam. (ANI)