Twist To The Story: PMK Decides To Go With BJP

Ending days of suspense on the alliance, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Monday announced that it has decided to go with the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The party would firm up electoral ties with the BJP-led NDA and a formal announcement on the number of Lok Sabha constituencies and the candidates to be fielded would be made by PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss, PMK general secretary Vadivel Ravanan said.

The Vanniyar community-dominated party's announcement coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow in Coimbatore and it sent a clear message to the AIADMK that the PMK was not keen on forging poll ties with the Dravidian major. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who had walked out of the NDA, has been attempting to stitch an alliance with the PMK and the DMDK.

"The PMK's general council has authorised party founder Dr S Ramadoss to announce the decision on the alliance. Today, he announced at the executive committee and meeting of district officer bearers on the decision to face the Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the BJP," Ravanan told reporters here.

The constituencies to be allotted to the PMK and the candidates will be announced by Ramadoss in a couple of days, he said. Asked if former Union Minister and Dr Ramadoss' son Dr Anbumani would meet the Prime Minister in Salem on Tuesday, Ravanan replied "he is likely to meet to finalise (the seats)."