Chidambaram holds talks with Stalin as DMK-Cong to resolve seat-sharing deadlock

With an unrelenting Congress and unyielding DMK sticking to their respective positions, the seat-sharing talks has hit a deadend forcing the national party to change its strategy and depute senior leader P Chidambaram to engage the DMK leadership to diffuse the situation and ensure a fair deal.

The Congress veteran, accompanied by TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, called on Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin and held talks at the latter’s residence in Chennai which lasted nearly an hour on Tuesday. DMK Parliamentary Party leader and DMK Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi was also present during the talks.

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Interestingly, Chidambaram has stepped in on being asked by the Congress high command to seal the deal ahead of March 5, the deadline for filing of nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, after the DMK had reportedly given an ultimatum. Failure to clinch it by then would deprive the Congress of any seat in the Upper House of Parliament that the DMK could offer. This was the reason for the Congress replacing AICC in charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, who was heading the party panel which held negotiations with the DMK on seat sharing.

During the talks between Chidambaram and Stalin, the Congress reportedly made a climbdown from its previous demand of 41 seats plus a Rajya Sabha berth to 35 seats and two Rajya Sabha berths. On the Other hand, the DMK is said to have offered 29 seats besides two Rajya Sabha seats. Initially, there was a clamour for power sharing from the Congress, which Stalin had firmly rejected saying that coalition experiment was not suitable for Tamil Nadu.

Emerging from the talks with Stalin, the TNCC chief said, “It was a courtesy call and the seat sharing talks were progressing well.”

The details of the talks will be apprised to the Congress national leadership. Now, the ball is in the Congress court.