DMK-Cong seat sharing talks: P Chidambaram holds discussion with CM Stalin

Senior Congress Leader P Chidambaram, accompanied by TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai, called on Chief Minister M K Stalin at his camp office here on Tuesday amidst an impasse between the two parties over the seat-sharing talks.

During the hour-long meeting with Stalin, who is the president of the DMK, the Congress leaders discussed various issues affecting both the parties and a final decision would be taken soon, a source in the Congress said.

The source said both the parties wanted the alliance to continue but there had been some disagreement over the number of seats that would be allotted to the grand old party. Initially, the DMK had offered one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress and the talks hinged on the number of seats to be allocated to the party, which had demanded 39 seats.

It is likely to settle for 28 seats and two Rajya Sabha seats, the source added.

“DMK wants the alliance to continue. Talks are continuing and our leader will arrive at a good decision,” DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan told reporters in Vellore in the state.

“Our leader wants to amicably resolve the issue. We will get to know in the evening,” he said.

Earlier, Selvaperunthagai called on Chidambaram and following a discussion, both went to the CM’s residence.

The Congress seat-sharing committee led by Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar held the initial talks and submitted a “wish list” to the DMK committee headed by its treasurer T R Baalu last week.

After the initial discussion, Chodankar said that the DMK’s offer of 25 seats was “not acceptable” and that the party expected more.

However, in an interesting turn of events, the party high command has asked the senior leader P Chidambaram to resume the talks directly with the DMK leadership and bring about an amicable solution.

Chodankar was to have led the five-member Congress delegation for the parleys today.