DMK commences seat sharing talks with allies, AICC leader Venugopal calls on CM Stalin

Chennai, Feb 22 (PTI) Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Sunday commenced seat-sharing talks with allies for the Assembly election due in April and Congress leader K C Venugopal called on Chief Minister MK Stalin at his Alwarpet residence.

According to TN Congress Committee sources, Venugopal, in the about 45-minute meeting apprised Stalin about his party's expectations and the constituencies it wished to contest.

The talks between Stalin and Venugopal happened against the background of the recent meeting between DMK leader Kanimozhi and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi over seat sharing.

Also, the meeting follows demands by a section of state Congress leaders seeking a share in power and CM Stalin ruling out scope for it saying such an arrangement would not suit Tamil Nadu.

Venugopal, before the commencement of talks, answering a question on Congress demands said "wait and see." TNCC President K Selvaperunthagai and DMK's Kanimozhi were among the leaders present.

On Sunday, the DMK commenced seat sharing talks by holding parleys with long time ally the IUML, which sought 5 seats and the former offered 2 seats citing the need to accommodate more allies.

The DMK leads the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu and its constituents include the Congress, DMDK, Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). PTI VGN VGN SA