Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The National Democratic Alliance on Monday finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with 27 seats allocated to the BJP, 18 to the PMK and 11 to the AMMK. The AIADMK will contest the remaining 178 seats. The agreement was formalised in Chennai with BJP leader Piyush Goyal and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami signing the electoral pact at the party headquarters. Ahead of the announcement, Goyal expressed confidence about the alliance’s prospects, saying, “TN people will reject DMK-Cong, NDA will sweep TN, P’cherry: Goyal.”The people of Tamil Nadu will reject the DMK-Congress combine in the ensuing Assembly election just like the people of Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and Delhi did for the INDIA combine, BJP Tamil Nadu in-charge and Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. Goyal, who arrived in Chennai to finalise the seat-sharing among NDA allies, said the AIADMK-led bloc would sweep Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and form the government. “We will launch the fight against the evil force DMK and its partners who have taken Tamil Nadu to extreme difficult times due to their incompetent management of economy and due to actions which hurt Tamil culture. People are fed up with the DMK and Congress,” he said. “Just like the Congress and its partners faced defeat continuously in the elections held in Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and Delhi, the people of Tamil Nadu will reject the DMK-Congress combine in the state.” “It is because people want good governance, development politics, a better future and opportunities for youth, and women to prosper. Tamil Nadu is ready for a government under the strong National Democratic Alliance under the guidance of visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Goyal told reporters. Referring to Modi, he said the Prime Minister had set a record by serving as head of government for 25 years and had demonstrated how governance can transform lives. He added that people in Tamil Nadu wanted a government led by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami that would focus on development for farmers and all sections. “We will ensure Tamil Nadu will have a very bright future,” the minister added. Single-phase polling for all 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23, while 30 seats in neighbouring Puducherry will go to polls on April 9.
