Even a day after the filing of nominations opened for April 13 assembly polls began in Tamil Nadu, the political scene remains unclear, with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam still struggling to put the alliance led by it in shape.
On the one hand, the identification of seats to be contested by Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, second largest constituent in the rainbow alliance, was yet to be completed and on the other, Marimalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has pulled out of the front.
The MDMK withdrew charging the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Jayalalithaa with not having learnt lessons from past experience and still persisting with her "arrogant ways".
MDMK, a long standing AIADMK ally, refused to accept the offer of 13 seats and decided not to contest at all.
In the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam front, seat identification with its allies had been completed with the party deciding to contest 119 seats, leaving 63 to the Congress, 30 to the Pattali Makkal Katchi, 10 to VCK, seven to Kongu Nadu Munnetra Katchi, three to Indian Union Muslim League and one each to Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam and Perunthalivar Makkal Katchi, a Nadar community based party.
The DMK has already named its candidates for all the 119 seats, while senior Congress leaders are flocking to New Delhi to secure party tickets for their followers.
Other parties in the front have already named their candidates. The AIADMK, which has already released a list of 160 candidates, withdrew it on Saturday and said it would come out with a fresh list tomorrow after its action raised the hackles of its allies.
Party activists in several places in the state were protesting against the choice of the nominees, compelling party supremo Jayalalithaa to have a relook at the list.
Protracted negotiations with actor Vijayakanth's DMDK had not yielded results so far as he was said to be firm on securing at least one seat in every district and in some particular constituencies.
The talks were going ahead and a result was expected to emerge only tomorrow. AIADMK had allotted 41 seats to DMDK, 12 to Communist Party of India-Marxist, ten to CPI; three to Muslims backed Manitha Neya Makkal Katchi, two to actor Sharathkumar floated All India Samuthuva Katchi, one each to All India Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam, RPI and Kongu Ilaginar Pervai.
The belligerent attitude of the AIADMK's allies has affected Jayalalithaa's campaign plans, according to which she was scheduled to have hit the streets on Thursday last itself, but had to postpone it due to bickering over seat sharing.
As many as 54 candidates including Tamil Nadu ministers K Anbazhagan and S Palanisamy filed their nominations yesterday, the opening day.
The BJP has entered into alliance with the Janata party and Janata Dal-United and is heading a third front. Both main contenders for the Chief Ministership M Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa have turned their eyes to their home turf.
Changing his constituency, Chepauk in Chennai, Karunanidhi would be contesting from his native Tiruvarur constituency. His bete noir Jayalalithaa would be doing it from Srirangam, from where her ancestors had migrated to Mysore.
As in the past, the DMK has promised freebees including mixers and grinders, 35 kgs of rice and lap tops to SC/ST students in its manifesto.
The DMK seems to be hoping that it would be able to replicate the success of last elections when the freebies offered by it including free colour TVs and waiver of cooperative farmers loan played a part to help the party return to power.
