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A formal announcement by TMC President G K Moopanar is expected later in the day.
The TMC is expecting final word from the Congress on its response to the alliance proposal by evening. It may even team up with the AIADMK without the Congress, if the latter is indecisive beyond evening, the sources indicated.
Party spokesman Gnanadesikan told reporters at Moopanar's residence after the party Election Committee's meeting in the morning that it had unanimously authorised Moopanar to take a decision and announce it at an appropriate time.
The AIADMK had offered 45 seats to the TMC-Congress combine. However, party supremo J Jayalalitha may be persuaded to increase it to 50 if Pondicherry was not delinked from Tamil Nadu (on the issue of an electoral understanding), the sources added.
Jayalalitha rescheduled a meeting with the Left and other parties for to finalise seat-sharing arrangements.
Jayalalitha is apparently awaiting word from the Congress before resuming dialogue with the Left and other parties. The Congress wants dominant ruling party status in Pondicherry while the new entrant in the AIADMK-led front, the PMK, also wants to head the government there.
This dichotomy is the main reason for the delay in arriving at an agreement.
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