DMK takes up seat-sharing, simultaneous polls at meet

Chennai: The DMK high-level committee which met here on Wednesday discussed the strategy for the Lok Sabha election next year and also the possibility of facing Assembly poll simultaneously.

The meeting held at DMK headquarters — Anna Arivalayam — with party president and leader of the Opposition in the TN Assembly M. K. Stalin in the chair, saw senior leaders and high-level committee members presenting their views. Later speaking to reporters, Mr Stalin said the meeting discussed about the strategy for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll and on the possibility of facing the Assembly election, if it were to be held, simultaneously.

 The present position of the parties, which were already in alliance with the DMK, was also discussed. “Whatever we discussed at the high-level meeting will soon be discussed with the headquarters office bearers and later the General Council that will be convened at the time of elections and take a decision'', he informed.

 To a question, Mr. Stalin replied that once the election dates were announced, committees would be formed and the manifesto would be prepared based on the prevailing situation. On whether the meet discussed about allotment of seats to alliance parties, he said “we discussed all aspe-cts.”The present status of each constituency, the ground work required to take up by the party cadres and the possibility of alliances were said to have been discussed at the meeting.

 Wednesday's meeting assumes significance especially in the backdrop of the verdict in the case against the disqualification of 18 lawmakers loyal to T. T. V. Dhinakaran expected to be pronounced.

 The DMK, currently with 89 MLAs, faced complete rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and was defeated by the AIADMK in the 2016 Assembly election.

 The ruling AIADMK has a strength of 116 MLAs in the state Assembly, including three legislators who have openly criticised the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led government.