Tamil Nadu

AIADMK reaches out to smaller parties, 7 outfits extend support

Written by : PTI

Seven outfits, including the existing allies of Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK, on Sunday, extended their support to the ruling party and vowed to work for its victory in the May 16 Assembly polls.

Leaders of seven parties--AIFB, Republican Party of India (RPI), Kongu Ilaignar Peravai, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, Tamil Maanila Muslim League (TMML), Indian Thoueed Jamaath and Samathuva Makkal Kazhagam, held discussions with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence.

Emerging from the meeting, the leaders said they had extended and reaffirmed their support to AIADMK and vowed to work for its victory.

However, seat-sharing talks will be held later, they said.

All India Forward Bloc's (AIFB) state General Secretary and Usilampatti MLA, P V Kathiravan, who met Jayalalithaa along with his party's national secretary G Devarajan, reiterated that the party extended its support to AIADMK.

He said AIFB has a strength of one MLA in the Assembly and had sought more seats for the coming polls.

RPI leader C K Thamizharasan vowed to work for AIADMK's victory. He represents Kilvaithinankuppam (SC) constituency in the present Assembly.

Kongu Ilaignar Peravai leader U Thaniyarasu, a legislator from Paramathivelur, also extended his party's support.

T Velmurugan, the founder of Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, told reporters an AIADMK panel has been identified by its party chief Jayalalithaa to look into the seat-sharing issue.

AIFB, RPI, Kongu Ilaignar Peravai, having representation in the 234-member house, and TMML had supported the AIADMK in 2011 elections.

Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, founded by Velmurugan prior to his dismissal from PMK in November 2011, joined the alliance this year along with A Narayanan's Samathuva Makkal Kazhagam.

Narayanan had recently floated the outfit after quitting actor-politician R Sarathkumar's All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK), an ally of AIADMK in the 2011 polls.

AISMK had recently joined the BJP-led NDA.

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