TN polls: Piyush Goyal in Chennai today to seal NDA seat-sharing pact

Chennai, March 23 (IANS) Union Minister and BJP’s Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal is set to arrive in Chennai on Monday for a crucial round of discussions aimed at finalising the long-pending seat-sharing arrangement within the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The high-stakes visit follows a significant breakthrough in New Delhi, where AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami held detailed consultations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. That meeting is understood to have resolved several contentious issues which had stalled progress in alliance negotiations over the past few weeks.

With the broader framework of seat allocation already informally agreed upon, Monday’s discussions are expected to focus on ironing out the remaining differences, particularly in a few sensitive constituencies where multiple allies have staked claims.

Leaders within the alliance indicated that the emphasis will be on achieving a balanced formula that ensures cohesion while also strengthening the alliance’s electoral prospects.

BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran confirmed that Goyal will hold meetings with key alliance partners, including the AIADMK, PMK, and AMMK, to formalise the arrangement.

He is expected to arrive in Chennai and conclude consultations on the same day, signalling an urgency to close the deal as the election schedule draws closer.

Sources suggest that most of the hard bargaining over constituencies has already been completed, with only a handful of seats left for final negotiation. The BJP is likely to contest around 28 to 29 seats, while the PMK may secure between 16 and 18 constituencies and the AMMK around 10. Smaller allies are likely to be accommodated with one to three seats each, depending on their regional influence.

In strategically significant regions, discussions have centred around key urban and semi-urban constituencies.

In Chennai, the BJP is said to be weighing options between T Nagar and Velachery, while also expressing interest in Mylapore. In Coimbatore, the party may secure an additional seat compared to the previous election cycle, while in the Kanyakumari district, the alliance is likely to retain a crucial constituency as part of the broader electoral strategy.

With most differences now narrowed, Monday’s talks are likely to mark the final step towards a formal announcement of the NDA’s seat-sharing pact in Tamil Nadu.

--IANS

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