The BJP and the PMK on Tuesday morning finalised a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, as per which the PMK would contest in 10 constituencies in the State as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The pact was signed by PMK founder S. Ramadoss and BJP State president K. Annamalai at the former’s residence at Thailapuram in Villupuram district after a two-hour deliberation in which PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss and BJP’s former State president L. Murugan were present.
Political developments had picked up on Monday when the PMK, which has a substantial political base in northern Tamil Nadu and parts of the western region among the Vanniyars, inclined towards the BJP after having held protracted talks with the AIADMK. It finalised and announced its decision to join the NDA after its district secretaries’ meeting at Thailapuram.
Mr. Annamalai and Mr. Murugan, who attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Coimbatore on Monday, reached the PMK founder’s residence to seal the deal on Tuesday. In a joint press conference, after finalising the pact, Mr. Anbumani said that his party had been a part of the NDA in New Delhi for the past 10 years. “The PMK has decided to contest in the 2024 election as part of the NDA in the interest of the nation, and of Tamil Nadu....”
“The people of Tamil Nadu have had a strong dislike towards the State’s rulers for the past 60 years and they want a change. The NDA will secure a massive win, both in Tamil Nadu and in India,” he added.
Mr. Annamalai said it was an important decision taken by the PMK to strengthen the objective of Mr. Modi to secure over 400 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha. He thanked Mr. Ramadoss and recollected the PMK leader’s close association with the BJP and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The list of constituencies that the PMK will contest from is expected to be announced in two days.
