Chennai, March 10 (IANS) The AIADMK and the BJP are reportedly moving closer to finalising a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with the BJP likely to contest around 29 seats as part of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Though formal negotiations among the alliance partners have not yet begun, sources in both the AIADMK and BJP said that the broad contours of the seat-sharing formula have already been worked out through informal discussions.

According to the proposed arrangement, the BJP may be allotted 29 constituencies, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) could receive around 18 seats, while T.T.V. Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) is expected to be given nine seats under the alliance formula.

A senior AIADMK leader confirmed that both parties have broadly agreed on the framework, adding that the official talks are likely to take place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Tiruchirappalli on March 11.

“Formal discussions on seat-sharing are expected around March 14, after the rally,” the leader said.

Earlier in the negotiations, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who has been involved in the alliance discussions, had reportedly presented a wish list of around 60 seats for the BJP. However, the party later scaled down its demand to about 30 seats.

To persuade the BJP to settle for 29 seats, AIADMK leaders are understood to have assured their ally that it would be offered constituencies considered favourable for the party’s prospects.

AIADMK sources also attributed the delay in concluding the seat-sharing arrangement to the BJP’s ongoing attempts to bring actor-politician Vijay’s TVK into the NDA fold.

If those efforts succeed, the distribution of seats among existing alliance partners may have to be revised. At present, AIADMK is said to be aiming to contest around 170 seats in the 234-member Assembly.

While AMMK had reportedly sought 13 constituencies, the AIADMK leadership is said to have proposed allotting nine seats, including Sholinghur, Andipatti, Ottapidaram, Nanguneri, Pudukkottai, Harur, Melur, Papanasam and Musiri.

Under the proposed formula, smaller allies are also expected to receive limited representation. Two seats each are likely to be allocated to parties such as G.K. Vasan’s Tamil Maanila Congress, B. John Pandian’s Tamizha Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, and T.R. Paarivendhar’s Indiya Jananayaga Katchi.

Alliance leaders are also discussing whether smaller parties should contest on the AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ symbol to improve their chances of victory, though the BJP is believed to favour fielding such candidates under its ‘lotus’ symbol.

Final decisions on these issues will be taken during the formal talks among the alliance partners.

–IANS

aal/rad