In Tamil Nadu, BJP sews up six-party alliance

Chennai: It was the perfect signature photograph waiting to happen for over a month for NDA-Tamil Nadu. BJP national president Rajnath Singh flew into Chennai on Thursday to share the dais with his half-a-dozen allies, some of them visibly sulking and left without pronouncing a final answer about the status of the lone Puducherry seat.

While PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss later told DC that his party would contest the seat in the Union Territory, its chief minister N Rengasamy insisted that during his meeting with Rajnath Singh, the BJP reaffirmed giving the seat to his NR-Congress.

“This is a historic moment not only for Tamil Nadu but also the entire country,” declared Rajnath Singh, while telling a crowded media conference at the Woodlands Hotel. The announcement was expected around noontime but was put off to around 4.30 p.m. Some said it was due to Rahukalam (1.30-3 pm) while others said the leaders got delayed arriving.

This ‘grand’ alliance would have been announced on the dais of BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi when he addressed a large rally at Vandalur here on February 8, but squabbling over seats between some of the constituents, particularly the PMK and the DMDK, derailed that dream.

MDMK chief Vaiko was the first to appear at 4 pm at this Thursday show. Mr Rajnath Singh came next, accompanied by DMDK’s Captain Vijayakanth. Soon PMK leader Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi leader R. Eswaran and IJK’s Pachamuthu, followed.

Announcing the alliance, Mr Singh said the DMDK would contest 14 seats, the PMK and BJP would fight eight seats each, the MDMK got seven while one seat each was allotted to the IJK and KMDK.