BJP, PMK tie-up for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, March 19 (IANS) The Vanniyar political party, PMK, on Tuesday announced that it has entered into a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP-led NDA and will contest ten Lok Sabha seats.

The decision was taken during a meeting at the farmhouse of PMK founder, Dr. S. Ramadoss at Tindivanam,Chennai on Tuesday morning.

The agreement was signed by PMK State president, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss and BJP state president K. Annamalai in the presence of PMK founder leader and father of Anbumani, Dr.S. Ramadoss and Union Minister of State for Fisheries L. Murugan.

The BJP and AIADMK had been trying to garner the support and alliance with the PMK, but in the end the Vanniyar party was now aligned with the BJP.

The PMK has a minimum of 7 per cent vote bank in Tamil Nadu with a strong presence in many northern districts of Tamil Nadu. The PMK founder leader Dr. S. Ramadoss was seeking an alliance with the AIADMK. Many of the senior leaders, including the party former state president, G.K. Mani was also in favour of an AIADMK alliance.

However, party state president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has prevailed upon other PMK leaders for an alliance with the BJP which will help the NDA gain considerable ground in Tamil Nadu.