Hard bargaining and unprecedented intransigence, by regional parties like the DMDK led by actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth and the PMK, the Vanniyar dominated outfit, are delaying the formalisation and finalisation of a grand alliance in Tamil Nadu. Though talks were initiated with the PMK way back in November 2013, the BJP leadership in Tamil Nadu is still groping in the dark as the father-son duo of Dr Ramdoss and Anbumani Ramdoss hardened their stance over the number of seats and the constituencies allocated to them.
The PMK has told the BJP leadership that they would not agree for anything less than nine seats. Dr Ramdoss, the PMK founder, is upset over the importance being given to Vijayakanth by the BJP leadership. “Our leader has informed the BJP leaders that neither Dr Ramdoss nor Anbumani would share the dais with Vijayakanth even if they succeed in forming an alliance with the DMDK,” a source close to Dr Ramdoss told the Pioneer.
According to BJP insiders in Tamil Nadu, the party was ready to concede 14 seats to the DMDK. "We hope to allocate nine seats to the PMK and an equal number of seats for ourselves. The MDMK may be allocated five seats while the three small outfits would get one seat each, "said the BJP leader.
The PMK has also demanded that Anbumani should be nominated to the Rajya Sabha from one of the BJP ruled States. "The fact is that all these parties are making hay while the sun is shining. They know that the Narendra Modi wave blowing all over the country is offering them a golden opportunity. The PMK and the DMDK are out to exploit the situation as they know that the BJP wants as many allies from Tamil Nadu to make Modi acceptable all over the country," said a BJP leader.
Though the Tamil Nadu BJP chief Pon Radhakrishnan had set a dead line for completing talks on alliance formation, a solution remains elusive. The AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa has already completed her first round of campaigning while the DMK released its election manifesto on Tuesday. Uncertainty stares at the faces of the BJP-led front and the Congress.