Puducherry, March 22 (IANS) With just a day remaining for filing nominations in Puducherry, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram is set to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday in a crucial last-minute effort to revive the stalled DMK-Congress alliance talks.

The high-stakes meeting comes amid mounting uncertainty over seat-sharing arrangements ahead of the April 9 Assembly election.

Negotiations between the two parties have hit a roadblock despite several rounds of discussions.

According to sources, the Congress party is keen to contest 17 of the 30 Assembly seats, and has informally proposed allocating 11 seats to the DMK, while offering one seat each to the VCK and the CPI.

However, the DMK is said to be pushing for a more balanced formula, reportedly seeking an equal share of seats, which has led to the current impasse. Efforts to resolve the issue on Saturday failed to yield any breakthrough.

A DMK delegation led by MP Jagadrakshakan waited for several hours at a private hotel, expecting Congress representatives to arrive for discussions. Despite waiting for nearly 12 hours, the Congress team did not turn up, prompting the DMK leaders to return to Chennai.

Jagadrakshakan later maintained that the DMK is still interested in continuing its alliance with the Congress in Puducherry. However, parallel developments suggested a widening communication gap between the two parties.

A separate meeting reportedly convened under the leadership of Congress functionary Girish Chodankar did not see participation from DMK representatives.

With time running out, the DMK leadership is now weighing its options. Jagadrakshakan is expected to brief CM Stalin on the latest developments, including whether to make a final attempt to reach an agreement with the Congress or explore alternative alliances.

Political observers say the outcome of the Chidambaram-Stalin meeting could be decisive in shaping the electoral dynamics in Puducherry, as both parties race against time to finalise their strategies before the nomination deadline.

–IANS

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