RS polls on March 16; DMK, AIADMK to accommodate allies

With the Election Commission on Wednesday notifying the schedule for the biennial elections to fill six vacancies to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK and the Opposition AIADMK have been pushed to decide on accommodating the demands of present and potential allies for a berth.

The polls to the Upper House will take place on March 16, at least a month ahead of the Assembly election. As per the strength of the DMK and its allies in the outgoing Assembly, the DMK could elect four candidates to the Rajya Sabha and the AIADMK two. Both parties are faced with a situation where they have to fulfil the demand of some smaller parties to allot a Rajya Sabha berth as a condition for an alliance in the Assembly polls.

‘Committed one seat’

DMK sources said it has already committed one seat to its ally, the Congress. Allocation of a Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress figured during a recent discussion between DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. “The DMK is inclined to give one seat to Congress,” a source said.

The AIADMK too appears inclined to allot one seat to the PMK headed by Anbumani Ramadoss, who has already joined the alliance.

In a strange coincidence, both the Dravidian majors are in favour of wooing the DMDK into their respective fronts by promising a berth in the Upper House.

The DMK leadership is holding parleys with DMDK leader Premallatha Vijayakant, who is also seeking Assembly seats in double digits. The DMK is hopeful of finalising the tie-up soon.

The AIADMK-BJP too are making efforts to rope in her party into the NDA fold. The AIADMK had last year itself issued a statement assuring a RS berth to the DMDK, a commitment that remains unchanged.

But Ms. Premallatha has not yet made public her party’s stand. Recently, she dismissed reports that her party was simultaneously holding alliance talks with both the Dravidian majors.

The six members whose tenures will end in April are M. Thambi Durai (AIADMK), G.K. Vasan (TMC), and Tiruchi Siva, N.R. Ilango, Andhiyur Selvaraj and Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu (all DMK).

There is a buzz in the AIADMK circles that Mr. Thambi Durai will contest from his traditional Assembly constituency of Bargur.