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The Congress-Tamil Maanila Congress electoral tie-up with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu remained stuck with uncertainty on Thursday with a senior Congress leader contending that his party was aspiring for a minimum 54 seats for the twosome. "Our leadership wants a minimum 54 seats to be shared between us and the TMC but Jayalalitha is only willing to give 45 seats to us. Talks are continuing," senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan told rediff.com.
He indicated that " the Congress is patient in dealing with its friendly allies in Tamil Nadu, contrary to media speculation that our party is at a dead-end regarding a tie-up with the AIADMK."
Chief Congress spokesman S Jaipal Reddy reiterated that " the AIADMK has offered the Congress-TMC combine 45 seats and you are aware that both parties consider it insufficient. Talks are progressing with the AIADMK through the TMC and we consider the TMC indistinguishable from the Congress."
He, however, again pointed out that on the issue of the Congress participating in any government in Pondicherry, including the Patalli Makkal Katchi, "we still have our reservations but the political process is dynamic and politics is not a stagnant pool."
The last part of Reddy's assertion, following a reporter's query, again drove home the point that despite its stand that it would have no truck with the PMK (which it considers anti-national because of the PMK's links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), the Congress had whittled down its rigidity towards Dr Ramdoss's party.
Reddy on Wednesday told reporters that the Congress considered the BJP as its chief ideological and historical foe with which it would never have any truck. He indicated that the party leadership was reviewing its statement of not participating in the government in Pondicherry including the PMK.
On why the Congress was "silently'' tolerating the AIADMK chief Jayalalitha's "handouts" (seats) to the Congress-TMC in Tamil Nadu, Reddy clarified that "the talks are not one-sided but bilateral". He did not elaborate.
He indicated that the poll arrangement with the AIADMK's allies (Congress-TMC) was likely to be formally announced on Friday.
ALSO SEE AIADMK being forced into post-poll coalition
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