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TMC, PT sign seat-sharing deal

Ending a week-long deadlock, the Tamil Maanila Congress today firmed up seat-sharing arrangements with its allies, including the Puthiya Tamizhagam led by dalit leader K Krishnasamy, by allotting 10 Lok Sabha seats to it.

TMC president G K Moopanar announced the final seat-sharing agreement to newspersons in Madras, in the presence of Dr Krishnasamy.

Moopanar also released the TMC manifesto.

Moopanar said Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Periyakulam, Pudukottai, Nilgiris and Ramanathapuram, which had been the bone of contention, were among the 10 seats allotted to the PT. The remaining four seats would be identified by this evening.

He said the TMC would also release the final list of its candidates this evening.

The TMC which had announced candidates for 18 constituencies, including the lone seat in Pondicherry, is likely to contest three more seats, leaving one for the Human Rights Party of India, led by dalit leader Ilayaperumal.

The Janata Dal (three seats), the Dalit Liberation Panthers (two), the Republican Party of India (two) and the Indian Union Muslim League (one) are the other allies.

Dr Krishnasamy, who opened the press conference, declared Moopanar as the leader of the Third Front.

Hitherto, the dalit leader had been maintaining that the PT which was responsible for the formation of the Third Front should be treated on par with the TMC and refused to accept Moopanar as the leader of the front.

Even as Dr Krishnasamy was hard put to it to answer a question on the sudden change in his stand, the latter came to his rescue and said he and the PT leader were responsible for the formation of the front and there was no misunderstanding between them.

He said all issues had been settled amicably, leaving no room for any further bickering.

Moopanar was surprised with the Bharatiya Janata Party's promise to amend the Constitution to prevent people of foreign origin from occupying high offices.

No one could prevent Congress president Sonia Gandhi from becoming the prime minister, if it was the wish of the people, he added.

Referring to the BJP's decision not to rake up issues like Ayodhya and the common civil code, former Union minister and senior TMC leader P Chidambaram said the BJP had only stated that these issues would be kept in abeyance, indicating that it would take them up later.

Moopanar said there was no motive behind the Indian Union Muslim League surrendering the central Madras Lok Sabha seat to the TMC.

IUML state president, Professor Kader Mohideen, who was also present, denied that it had surrendered the seat following 'threats' from the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam.

Replying to a question, Moopanar said secularism would be the main poll plank of the front.

Dalit Liberation Panthers organiser R Thirumavalavan announced that he would contest from Chidambaram and party general secretary 'Tada' Periyasamy from Perambalur, both reserved constituencies.

He said his party, which was allotted three seats, had surrendered Periyakulam after coming to know that the PT had staked claim for it.

He also dismissed as 'incorrect' reports in a section of the media that his party was responsible for the fissures between the PT and the TMC.

UNI

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