TNN | Mar 25, 2011
CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has temporarily allowed actor Vijayakanth's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam to retain its nagara' (drum) symbol for the forthcoming assembly elections. The Supreme Court had recently rejected petitions filed by various unrecognised political parties, including the DMDK, seeking common symbols to contest the polls.
Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered issue of notice to the Election Commission based on a petition filed by a Tiruppur-based garments manufacturer who claimed that 'beating drum' was the symbol of his brand of garments and that it should not be given to any political party. He claimed that he had obtained copyright for the symbol in 2009.
An EC order on Friday said it decided to make an interim arrangement to allot symbols to various registered unrecognised parties solely for the ensuing elections in four states. However, EC has allotted symbols only to those parties that have fielded a minimum number of candidates. Parties should field candidates in at least 10 per cent of the total number of assembly constituencies in each state.
If any of the parties failed to field their candidates from the constituencies intimated by them to the commission or did not meet the minimum number of contestants, then they cannot contest using their allotted symbol, the order said.
The EC said that in order to avoid confusion in the allotment of symbols, the chief electoral officer of each state shall interact and coordinate with the returning officers and get information about the candidates set up by the unrecognised parties. The information will be collected after March 26, the last date for submitting nominations.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of DMK, got candles' instead of its star' symbol as the party will be contesting only in ten seats.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Vadivelu's slanderous speech
Mar 28, 2011
Vadivelu is actively involved in campaigning for the DMK and began his campaign in Thiruvaroor on March 23rd in the presence of the DMK Chief M Karunanidhi. During this election meeting, he made some slanderous remarks about the DMDK Chief Vijayakanth and this was telecasted in some private television channels.
This provoked the DMDK functionary Dileep Kumar to file a complaint with the Election Commission. Taking action on this complaint, the EC has ordered the Thiruvaroor police to file a complaint against Vadivelu for defaming Vijayakanth’s image and to take necessary action.
Source:http://www.behindwoods.com
Vadivelu is actively involved in campaigning for the DMK and began his campaign in Thiruvaroor on March 23rd in the presence of the DMK Chief M Karunanidhi. During this election meeting, he made some slanderous remarks about the DMDK Chief Vijayakanth and this was telecasted in some private television channels.
This provoked the DMDK functionary Dileep Kumar to file a complaint with the Election Commission. Taking action on this complaint, the EC has ordered the Thiruvaroor police to file a complaint against Vadivelu for defaming Vijayakanth’s image and to take necessary action.
Source:http://www.behindwoods.com
Monday, March 21, 2011
Arunpandian to get DMDK seat?
IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, March 15, 2011]
With Assembly elections nearing, the bond between Kollywood and Tamil Nadu politics is getting stronger. Buzz is that a couple of popular faces will get tickets from Vijayakanth’s DMDK to contest the polls.
It is said that actor-producer Arunpandian and producer Michael Rayappan will be fielded by the Captain’s party in the April 13 elections, as both are very close to the DMDK supremo, who himself is a popular actor.
“But Vijayakanth is yet to take a final decision. Everything will be made clear in a day or two when the candidates list is out,” a highly placed source in the DMDK headquarters at Koyambedu tells us.
While Michael Rayappan, the producer of films like ‘Naadodigal’ and ‘Goripalayam’ is an important office-bearer of the DMDK, Arunpandian is a longtime friend and close associate of Vijayakanth.
With Assembly elections nearing, the bond between Kollywood and Tamil Nadu politics is getting stronger. Buzz is that a couple of popular faces will get tickets from Vijayakanth’s DMDK to contest the polls.
It is said that actor-producer Arunpandian and producer Michael Rayappan will be fielded by the Captain’s party in the April 13 elections, as both are very close to the DMDK supremo, who himself is a popular actor.
“But Vijayakanth is yet to take a final decision. Everything will be made clear in a day or two when the candidates list is out,” a highly placed source in the DMDK headquarters at Koyambedu tells us.
While Michael Rayappan, the producer of films like ‘Naadodigal’ and ‘Goripalayam’ is an important office-bearer of the DMDK, Arunpandian is a longtime friend and close associate of Vijayakanth.
Vijaykanth to contest from Rishivandiyam in Tamil Nadu polls
Actor-politician Vijayakanth will seek election from Rishivandiyam in Villupuram district in the April 13 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
The DMDK today released the first list of 11 candidates for the polls. The actor, who was elected from Virudhachalam in the neighbouring Cuddalore district in the 2006 elections, has changed his constituency this time.
He was the lone winner for the party, which had contested on itsown in all but two of the 234 constituencies in the 2006 assembly elections.
Vijayakanth will take on sitting Congress MLA, S Sivaraj if the Congress renominates him in the constituency. The DMK has allotted the seat to the Congress.
The DMDK is contesting 41 seats in alliance with the AIADMK. Party Presidium Chairman and former AIADMK minister Panruti S Ramachandran, who unsuccessfuly contested from his native town of Panrutiin 2006, has also shifted his constituency. He is contesting in Alandur in the city now.
Source:
The DMDK today released the first list of 11 candidates for the polls. The actor, who was elected from Virudhachalam in the neighbouring Cuddalore district in the 2006 elections, has changed his constituency this time.
He was the lone winner for the party, which had contested on itsown in all but two of the 234 constituencies in the 2006 assembly elections.
Vijayakanth will take on sitting Congress MLA, S Sivaraj if the Congress renominates him in the constituency. The DMK has allotted the seat to the Congress.
The DMDK is contesting 41 seats in alliance with the AIADMK. Party Presidium Chairman and former AIADMK minister Panruti S Ramachandran, who unsuccessfuly contested from his native town of Panrutiin 2006, has also shifted his constituency. He is contesting in Alandur in the city now.
Source:
Pact with Vijaykanth major gain for Jaya
Hindustan Times
Chennai, February 25, 2011
AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa secured a major gain on her birthday on Thursday by sewing up an alliance with actor Vijaykant-led DMDK, posing a counter to the DMK-PMK-Congress combination in the assembly elections. The AIADMK and DMDK held their first official seat-sharing talks on Thursd
ay night and reached an informal understanding on an alliance.
Coming out of AIADMK headquarters, DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran said his party had taken a political stand to oust the ruling DMK from power. “Therefore, we are with the AIADMK. As far as the seats are concerned, we are yet to arrive at a conclusion,” he said.
Asked about the DMDK’s demand for 50 seats (of the 234 in the assembly) and a Rajya Sabha berth, he dismissed all such talk as speculation. “We have not made any demands or talked numbers.”
A formal announcement is expected on Sunday.
For some time, Jayalalithaa was on tenterhooks as to whether Vijaykant would throw in his lot with her.
In the 2006 assembly polls, Vijaykant’s party walked away with 8.34% votes, which could swing the electoral fortunes for any alliance, though the DMDK could win just one seat.
The DMK-led alliance had polled 44.65% of the votes and the AIADMK-MDMK combination 40.52%.
In the Lok Sabha elections of 2009, Vijaykant increased his vote percentage to 10.5, evenly spread across the state, but could not win a seat.
To date the AIADMK has signed formal agreements with five parties, allotting two seats to the Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT), three to the MNMK, and one each to the Republican Party of India, AIAFB, and AIMMK.
Chennai, February 25, 2011
AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa secured a major gain on her birthday on Thursday by sewing up an alliance with actor Vijaykant-led DMDK, posing a counter to the DMK-PMK-Congress combination in the assembly elections. The AIADMK and DMDK held their first official seat-sharing talks on Thursd
ay night and reached an informal understanding on an alliance.
Coming out of AIADMK headquarters, DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran said his party had taken a political stand to oust the ruling DMK from power. “Therefore, we are with the AIADMK. As far as the seats are concerned, we are yet to arrive at a conclusion,” he said.
Asked about the DMDK’s demand for 50 seats (of the 234 in the assembly) and a Rajya Sabha berth, he dismissed all such talk as speculation. “We have not made any demands or talked numbers.”
A formal announcement is expected on Sunday.
For some time, Jayalalithaa was on tenterhooks as to whether Vijaykant would throw in his lot with her.
In the 2006 assembly polls, Vijaykant’s party walked away with 8.34% votes, which could swing the electoral fortunes for any alliance, though the DMDK could win just one seat.
The DMK-led alliance had polled 44.65% of the votes and the AIADMK-MDMK combination 40.52%.
In the Lok Sabha elections of 2009, Vijaykant increased his vote percentage to 10.5, evenly spread across the state, but could not win a seat.
To date the AIADMK has signed formal agreements with five parties, allotting two seats to the Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT), three to the MNMK, and one each to the Republican Party of India, AIAFB, and AIMMK.
Jaya, Vijayakanth clinch poll deal
TNN, Mar 5, 2011, 05.56am IST
CHENNAI: Forging an alliance that gives the AIADMK a leg-up in the forthcoming assembly polls, the party's general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Friday signed a deal with Vijayakanth's DMDK to contest together. The DMDK leader has agreed to an arrangement which allows his party to contest 41 seats.
Accompanied by his brother-in-law L K Sudhish and DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran, Vijayakanth visited Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden bungalow around 9.30pm to formalise the deal. "We are happy with the arrangement. Our main aim is to provide an alternative to the existing corrupt and incompetent regime," said Ramachandran, speaking to TOI after the meeting.
The entry of DMDK into the AIADMK-led alliance that includes Vaiko's MDMK, the Left parties and a host of fringe groups is expected to provide the Opposition a competitive advantage in an election, which many political observers believe will be a close contest. In the last assembly polls, Vijayakanth's party got 8.38% of the vote share in a triangular contest, causing a significant split in anti-incumbency votes. He repeated the performance in the last general elections, raising his vote share to 10.08%.
The alliance, which looked elusive even about a month ago, was clinched in Jayalalitha's living room after an exchange of pleasantries. The cheerful AIADMK general secretary posed with Vijayakanth and his party colleagues for photographs after a 20-minute meeting.
An AIADMK press release later said the two parties had signed a deal to contest the elections together with the DMDK being allotted 41 seats. This was seen as a significant climbdown by Vijayakanth as his confidantes were hopeful of getting 50 seats. DMDK insiders said the party struck a compromise in exchange for key constituencies in the AIADMK's southern bastion as well as Chennai. There is talk that Vijayakanth's wife Premalatha may be given a Chennai constituency, said a DMDK source.
"We are perfectly satisfied with the present arrangement as we plan to be in the Opposition front. We are not concerned about the number of seats (we get)," said Ramachandran.
The coming together of Jayalalithaa and Vijayakanth marks a new chapter in ties between the two parties. Until recently, there have been acerbic exchanges between the two leaders with Jayalalithaa even accusing Vijayakanth of attempting to usurp the MGR legacy.
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
CHENNAI: Forging an alliance that gives the AIADMK a leg-up in the forthcoming assembly polls, the party's general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Friday signed a deal with Vijayakanth's DMDK to contest together. The DMDK leader has agreed to an arrangement which allows his party to contest 41 seats.
Accompanied by his brother-in-law L K Sudhish and DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran, Vijayakanth visited Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden bungalow around 9.30pm to formalise the deal. "We are happy with the arrangement. Our main aim is to provide an alternative to the existing corrupt and incompetent regime," said Ramachandran, speaking to TOI after the meeting.
The entry of DMDK into the AIADMK-led alliance that includes Vaiko's MDMK, the Left parties and a host of fringe groups is expected to provide the Opposition a competitive advantage in an election, which many political observers believe will be a close contest. In the last assembly polls, Vijayakanth's party got 8.38% of the vote share in a triangular contest, causing a significant split in anti-incumbency votes. He repeated the performance in the last general elections, raising his vote share to 10.08%.
The alliance, which looked elusive even about a month ago, was clinched in Jayalalitha's living room after an exchange of pleasantries. The cheerful AIADMK general secretary posed with Vijayakanth and his party colleagues for photographs after a 20-minute meeting.
An AIADMK press release later said the two parties had signed a deal to contest the elections together with the DMDK being allotted 41 seats. This was seen as a significant climbdown by Vijayakanth as his confidantes were hopeful of getting 50 seats. DMDK insiders said the party struck a compromise in exchange for key constituencies in the AIADMK's southern bastion as well as Chennai. There is talk that Vijayakanth's wife Premalatha may be given a Chennai constituency, said a DMDK source.
"We are perfectly satisfied with the present arrangement as we plan to be in the Opposition front. We are not concerned about the number of seats (we get)," said Ramachandran.
The coming together of Jayalalithaa and Vijayakanth marks a new chapter in ties between the two parties. Until recently, there have been acerbic exchanges between the two leaders with Jayalalithaa even accusing Vijayakanth of attempting to usurp the MGR legacy.
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jayalalithaa hands back 30 seats to allies, tells Captain to be content
CHENNAI: After hurriedly withdrawing its first list of 160 candidates following an outcry among allies that AIADMK had grabbed their favourite seats, J Jayalalithaa on Monday released her second and "final" list, returning 30 constituencies back to allies while ruling out any more seats to ally Vijayakanth in the wake of Vaiko-led MDMK's exit from the alliance.
The identification of seats to be contested by DMDK, the second largest party in the alliance, dragged for three days with its leadership learnt to have expressed unhappiness with more than 13 seats allotted to it. But the issue was sorted out with Vijayakanth holding talks with his senior party colleagues Panruti S Ramachandran and L K Sudhish, explaining them the rationale behind the allocation of constituencies. AIADMK also released the list of 41 constituencies allotted to DMDK.
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa will kick off her party's campaign on March 24 from Tiruchi. Her aggressive allies, who even threatened to probe the option of forming a third front, disrupted her campaign plan, which was scheduled to begin on March 17 but was postponed due to confusion over allocation of constituencies. DMDK, CPM and CPI had protested that all their winnable seats were usurped by their major ally.
Jayalalithaa will campaign for 18 days for the April 13 assembly elections, setting her earlier schedule back by four days. She has sacrificed 30 seats from her old list, mostly in southern and northern Tamil Nadu. Of the 30 constituencies, she has given 13 to DMDK. Interestingly, DMDK grabbed only one
seat (Virugambakkam) in Chennai.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/assembly
The identification of seats to be contested by DMDK, the second largest party in the alliance, dragged for three days with its leadership learnt to have expressed unhappiness with more than 13 seats allotted to it. But the issue was sorted out with Vijayakanth holding talks with his senior party colleagues Panruti S Ramachandran and L K Sudhish, explaining them the rationale behind the allocation of constituencies. AIADMK also released the list of 41 constituencies allotted to DMDK.
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa will kick off her party's campaign on March 24 from Tiruchi. Her aggressive allies, who even threatened to probe the option of forming a third front, disrupted her campaign plan, which was scheduled to begin on March 17 but was postponed due to confusion over allocation of constituencies. DMDK, CPM and CPI had protested that all their winnable seats were usurped by their major ally.
Jayalalithaa will campaign for 18 days for the April 13 assembly elections, setting her earlier schedule back by four days. She has sacrificed 30 seats from her old list, mostly in southern and northern Tamil Nadu. Of the 30 constituencies, she has given 13 to DMDK. Interestingly, DMDK grabbed only one
seat (Virugambakkam) in Chennai.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/assembly
DMDK list of seats ready
After two nights of hectic negotiations with the AIADMK, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), led by actor Vijayakant, finalised on Sunday the constituencies it will contest in the April-13 Assembly elections.
The DMDK has been allotted 41 constituencies. The list is likely to be released on Monday along with the seats to be contested by the AIADMK. AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa is due to release her party's list of candidates on Monday.
“It was a marathon negotiation. We have finalised the seats and handed over the list to our founder-leader Vijayakant,” said Panruti S. Ramachandaran, the party's presidium chairman. He was accompanied by the party's youth wing leader L K Sudheesh in the negotiations.
Mr. Ramachandran said that after getting Mr. Vijayakant's approval, the list would once again be forwarded to AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa for release.
After Thursday's turmoil in the alliance over the “unilateral” release of the AIADMK candidates' list for 160 seats – since withdrawn –, the talks with allies for identifying constituencies began on Friday evening and continued till the early hours of Saturday.
Though the AIADMK could finalise the constituencies with the CPI, CPI (M) and smaller allies, no agreement could be reached with the DMDK.
Once again Mr. Ramachandran and Mr. Sudheesh visited Ms. Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence on Saturday evening for talks even as the AIADMK tried to retain the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in its alliance.
It was exactly 5 am on Sunday when Mr. Ramachandran and Mr. Sudheesh emerged from the Poes Garden residence of Ms Jayalalithaa and informed mediapersons about the completion of talks. Just an hour earlier, the MDMK had decided against contesting the elections.
Source : thehindu.cm
Monday, March 7, 2011
DMDK gets 41 seats in poll pact with AIADMK
DMDK leader Vijayakant with AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa at her residence in Chennai on Friday.
Vijayakant meets Jayalalithaa at her residence
The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) led by actor Vijayakant will contest 41 seats as part of the AIADMK alliance in the Assembly elections on April 13.
The number of seats allotted to the DMDK was finalised after a meeting between AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa and DMDK president Vijayakant at the former's Poes Garden residence on Friday night.
While Mr. Vijayakant, who was accompanied his party presidium chairman Panruti S. Ramachandran and youth wing secretary L. K. Sudheesh, left without speaking to the media, a brief statement from Ms. Jayalalithaa's residence disclosed the seat-sharing agreement.
“The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam entered into a seat-sharing agreement with the DMDK and the party has been allotted 41 seats,” the statement said.
Mr. Vijayakant, who came to Ms. Jayalalithaa's residence around 9.25 p.m, had a nearly half-an-hour meeting with her.
The Left parties and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), the other major parties in the AIADMK front, are likely to be invited for seat-sharing talks in the next few days.
Left leaders said they were told that a pact would be sealed with them on Friday, but it did not materialise as negotiations with DMDK could be completed only in the evening.
This is the first time that the DMDK, set up in 2005 by the veteran Tamil actor, is entering into an electoral alliance. Contesting alone, the party had polled a little over eight per cent in the 2006 Assembly elections and over 10 per cent in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
Source: The Hindu
Jayalalithaa gives Vijayakanth's DMDK 41 seats
March 04, 2011
Chennai: Putting at rest all speculation, DMDK on Friday evening signed a poll pact with the main opposition party AIADMK, led by Jayalalithaa, to contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections scheduled for April 13.
DMDK founder-president Vijayakanth along with party presidium chairman Panruti Ramachandran and Youth wing secretary Sudheesh called on Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai, to cement the pact under which the party had been allotted 41 seats, a joint statement released to the media said.
On February 24, actor-politician Vijayakanth's DMDK had launched formal poll parleys with AIADMK to "oust DMK from power". Though backdoor negotiations were going on for some time, it was the first time that leaders of both parties had met to initiate poll talks.
Though Vijayakanth has been consistently holding that his alliance was only with the people and no other political party, the DMDK, however, opted for tie up under pressure from party cadres.
Founded in 2005 by Vijayakanth, DMDK made its debut in 2006 Assembly elections, with Vijayakanth winning from the Viruddhachalam seat, even as his party polled 8 per cent popular votes.
However, the party's performance in the subsequent by-polls and 2009 Lok Sabha polls were sub-par, even as it played spoilsport to AIADMK's prospects by splitting the votes.
Source: NDTV
Chennai: Putting at rest all speculation, DMDK on Friday evening signed a poll pact with the main opposition party AIADMK, led by Jayalalithaa, to contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections scheduled for April 13.
DMDK founder-president Vijayakanth along with party presidium chairman Panruti Ramachandran and Youth wing secretary Sudheesh called on Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai, to cement the pact under which the party had been allotted 41 seats, a joint statement released to the media said.
On February 24, actor-politician Vijayakanth's DMDK had launched formal poll parleys with AIADMK to "oust DMK from power". Though backdoor negotiations were going on for some time, it was the first time that leaders of both parties had met to initiate poll talks.
Though Vijayakanth has been consistently holding that his alliance was only with the people and no other political party, the DMDK, however, opted for tie up under pressure from party cadres.
Founded in 2005 by Vijayakanth, DMDK made its debut in 2006 Assembly elections, with Vijayakanth winning from the Viruddhachalam seat, even as his party polled 8 per cent popular votes.
However, the party's performance in the subsequent by-polls and 2009 Lok Sabha polls were sub-par, even as it played spoilsport to AIADMK's prospects by splitting the votes.
Source: NDTV
Vijayakanth leads DMDK cadres in seeking tickets
CHENNAI: Ahead of a seat sharing deal with the AIADMK, actor Vijayakanth on Wednesday kicked off the exercise of receiving applications for party tickets for the assembly elections by filling up an application form himself at the DMDK headquarters.
The Captain appeared to be a stickler for procedures as he submitted his application to the DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran, following which, party aspirants for tickets also started filling up their forms. On day one, the party received more than 1,000 applications, indicating the upbeat mood in the party. Party youth wing secretary LK Sudhish said there were 500 applications in Vijayakanth's name alone. However, it is not known as to which segment Vijayakanth himself has applied for. He was elected from Vriddachalam segment in 2006.
The DMDK will receive applications from aspirants till March 5 and start their interviews on March 7. Candidates are expected to be announced on March 9, said party sources.
The AIADMK and the DMDK are expected to finalise their deal on Friday. DMDK sources said the AIADMK offered 41 assembly seats and one Rajya Sabha seat, but their party was not keen on the RS seat and instead wanted 48 assembly seats.
AIADMK sources, however, said the party would not be able to increase the number of seats to the DMDK as it had to accommodate the MDMK, Left parties and other small parties. Loyal partner and MDMK leader Vaiko expected minimum 25 seats and Left parties have also pitched in with a similar demand, said a senior leader.
AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa is understood to have told her alliance partners that her party would like to contest a minimum of 140 seats in this election because only then can they hope to get a majority in the state assembly.
In a lighter vein, but striking a serious note, Vijayakanth remarked that the election and counting dates of April 13 and May 13 indicated the "play of the Devil" as 13 is considered an inauspicious and unlucky number. "So this is an opportunity to get rid of the evil government," he quipped attacking the ruling DMK.
Source:articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
The Captain appeared to be a stickler for procedures as he submitted his application to the DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran, following which, party aspirants for tickets also started filling up their forms. On day one, the party received more than 1,000 applications, indicating the upbeat mood in the party. Party youth wing secretary LK Sudhish said there were 500 applications in Vijayakanth's name alone. However, it is not known as to which segment Vijayakanth himself has applied for. He was elected from Vriddachalam segment in 2006.
The DMDK will receive applications from aspirants till March 5 and start their interviews on March 7. Candidates are expected to be announced on March 9, said party sources.
The AIADMK and the DMDK are expected to finalise their deal on Friday. DMDK sources said the AIADMK offered 41 assembly seats and one Rajya Sabha seat, but their party was not keen on the RS seat and instead wanted 48 assembly seats.
AIADMK sources, however, said the party would not be able to increase the number of seats to the DMDK as it had to accommodate the MDMK, Left parties and other small parties. Loyal partner and MDMK leader Vaiko expected minimum 25 seats and Left parties have also pitched in with a similar demand, said a senior leader.
AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa is understood to have told her alliance partners that her party would like to contest a minimum of 140 seats in this election because only then can they hope to get a majority in the state assembly.
In a lighter vein, but striking a serious note, Vijayakanth remarked that the election and counting dates of April 13 and May 13 indicated the "play of the Devil" as 13 is considered an inauspicious and unlucky number. "So this is an opportunity to get rid of the evil government," he quipped attacking the ruling DMK.
Source:articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
DMDK ups stake, now wants 50 seats
CHENNAI: In the wake of the PMK joining the DMK-led front, actor Vijayakanth's DMDK has hardened its stand. The party is demanding 50 seats for clinching a pact with the AIADMK for the assembly elections. The DMDK, which had agreed to the AIADMK's offer of 41 seats a week ago, has increased the demand after the PMK signed a poll deal with the DMK.
"We had agreed to 41 seats earlier as we were given to understand that the PMK might join the AIADMK front. Even a meeting between Vijayakanth and Jayalalithaa was scheduled for 4.30pm on February 18. He cancelled the meeting on learning that PMK leader S Ramadoss had struck a deal with DMK chief M Karunanidhi," a senior DMDK leader said.
So far, several rounds of negotiations have taken place between the AIADMK and the DMDK. Though Panruti S Ramachandran, L K Sudhish and K Pandia Rajan represented the DMDK, and O Paneerselvam and KA Sengottaiyan the AIADMK in the initial meetings, all subsequent meetings were between Sudhish and Sengottaiyan or Sudhish and Jayalalithaa's confidante Sasikalaa. Initially the DMDK demanded 67 seats and the AIADMK offered 32. Later, the AIADMK increased its offer to 35 seats after the DMDK brought down its demand to 60.
The DMDK has even submitted a wish list of 67 assembly constituencies to the AIADMK. These include 54 constituencies where the party secured more than 12.5% votes in the last parliamentary polls, said a senior party leader. He expressed hope that the "deal could be closed with the AIADMK in a couple of days."
Within the party, Vijayakanth has also shortlisted 30 candidates including Panruti, Pandia Rajan and S Austin, Kanyakumari district secretary of the party. The actor himself will contest, but the constituency is not yet finalised, sources said.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK is learnt to have finalised deals with a host of small parties. It signed a pact with the All India Forward Bloc by conceding one seat on Wednesday. The Indian National League, actor M Karthik's Agila India Nadalum Makkal Katchi and director Seeman's Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam could be given one seat each. Actor R Sarath Kumar's Agila India Samathuva Makkal Katchi could be given two seats. All India Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam was given one seat earlier. All these parties are expected to contest on the AIADMK symbol.
The AIADMK is likely to give one more seat to the Puthiya Thamizhagam, which has been demanding more seats. The PT was given two seats earlier. The Manithaneya Makkal Katchi was given three seats recently. Jayalalithaa has offered 16 seats to the MDMK, 13 to the CPM and 10 to the CPI. While the Left parties had contested the same number of seats as part of the DMK alliance in 2006, the MDMK had contested 35. Jayalalithaa is leaving for Chamundi temple in Mysore on her birthday on Thursday.
Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
"We had agreed to 41 seats earlier as we were given to understand that the PMK might join the AIADMK front. Even a meeting between Vijayakanth and Jayalalithaa was scheduled for 4.30pm on February 18. He cancelled the meeting on learning that PMK leader S Ramadoss had struck a deal with DMK chief M Karunanidhi," a senior DMDK leader said.
So far, several rounds of negotiations have taken place between the AIADMK and the DMDK. Though Panruti S Ramachandran, L K Sudhish and K Pandia Rajan represented the DMDK, and O Paneerselvam and KA Sengottaiyan the AIADMK in the initial meetings, all subsequent meetings were between Sudhish and Sengottaiyan or Sudhish and Jayalalithaa's confidante Sasikalaa. Initially the DMDK demanded 67 seats and the AIADMK offered 32. Later, the AIADMK increased its offer to 35 seats after the DMDK brought down its demand to 60.
The DMDK has even submitted a wish list of 67 assembly constituencies to the AIADMK. These include 54 constituencies where the party secured more than 12.5% votes in the last parliamentary polls, said a senior party leader. He expressed hope that the "deal could be closed with the AIADMK in a couple of days."
Within the party, Vijayakanth has also shortlisted 30 candidates including Panruti, Pandia Rajan and S Austin, Kanyakumari district secretary of the party. The actor himself will contest, but the constituency is not yet finalised, sources said.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK is learnt to have finalised deals with a host of small parties. It signed a pact with the All India Forward Bloc by conceding one seat on Wednesday. The Indian National League, actor M Karthik's Agila India Nadalum Makkal Katchi and director Seeman's Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam could be given one seat each. Actor R Sarath Kumar's Agila India Samathuva Makkal Katchi could be given two seats. All India Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam was given one seat earlier. All these parties are expected to contest on the AIADMK symbol.
The AIADMK is likely to give one more seat to the Puthiya Thamizhagam, which has been demanding more seats. The PT was given two seats earlier. The Manithaneya Makkal Katchi was given three seats recently. Jayalalithaa has offered 16 seats to the MDMK, 13 to the CPM and 10 to the CPI. While the Left parties had contested the same number of seats as part of the DMK alliance in 2006, the MDMK had contested 35. Jayalalithaa is leaving for Chamundi temple in Mysore on her birthday on Thursday.
Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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