DMK’s rigid posture in seat allocation to DMDK, besides the hurdles faced by BJP in bringing PMK and DMDK together, has raised hopes of People’s Welfare Front (PWF) leaders, who are optimistic of Vijayakanth teaming up with them for the Assembly polls.
The DMK, BJP and PWF are in a stiff race to woo Vijayakanth and rope him in their front.
Although, most DMDK functionaries and MLAs want a tie-up with DMK, talks between the two parties are deadlocked as DMK is not yielding to key conditions of Vijayakanth.
DMDK functionaries remain keen on an alliance with the DMK for the assembly election but the party leadership is said to have expressed its inability to strike a deal with the DMK despite some hard bargaining.
According to the Times of India, hours before Union environment minister and BJP's TN election in-charge Prakash Javadekar landed in Chennai on Saturday to clinch a deal with potential NDA partners, Vijayakanth and his brother-in-law L K Sudheesh, who is also youth wing secretary, held a closed door meeting with district secretaries to gauge the mood.
DMDK sources said the leaders gave a hint of the demands the party made to DMK which included post of deputy chief minister for Vijayakanth, 10 cabinet berths, one third of the assembly seats (78), besides half the local body posts, elections for which are to be held in October, besides three mayoral posts.
While the party is keen on being part of a strong alliance, Vijayakanth is said to be caught in a difficult dilemma with DMK refusing to give in to his demands.