Ex-AIADMK ally Sarath Kumar meets MNM's Kamal Haasan to discuss alliance for Assembly poll

All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi founder Sarath Kumar met Makkal Needhi Maiam's (MNM) Kamal Haasan to discuss possibilities of forming an alliance for upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Previously an AIADMK ally, Sarath Kumar expressed interest in joining hands with Kamal Haasan for upcoming polls and said that a positive decision regarding alliance was expected soon. Addressing media persons on Saturday, Sarath Kumar claimed that he had a percent of vote bank in his favour and anunced his decision to move on from alliance with AIADMK as he received word from ruling party thus far. 

All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi's Sarath Kumar, however, said that talks with MNM were incomplete after meeting Kamal Haasan on Saturday. actor-turned-politician claimed that his party could do good for people of state and vowed to bring a dynamic manifesto. Furr, Sarath Kumar appealed to people to t accept cash for votes, pointing out that resolve of public to t accept such bribes could lead to a change. Earlier on Saturday, Sarath Kumar anunced an alliance with SRM Group Paarivendhar's Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi. Sarath Kumar, along with his wife Radikaa, also met expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala at her residence on Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary.

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As race to Tamil Nadu Assembly elections heats up, NDA allies BJP and AIADMK met on Saturday to discuss seat-sharing ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to state on Sunday. BJP leaders, including MoS G Kishan Reddy and state president L Murugan met TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami and Dy CM O Panneerselvam at ir respective residences on Saturday to discuss seat-sharing for first phase of Assembly polls. NDA allies' meeting over seat-sharing comes after Election Commission revealed dates of Assembly elections scheduled to be held in April and May in five states - Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, and Assam. 

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Meanwhile, DMK formed a seven-member committee to discuss seat-sharing talks with Congress and or allies. Party General Secretary Duraimurugan said panel would be headed by Treasurer T.R. Baalu. K.N. Nehru, I. Periyasamy, K. Ponmudi, Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi and E.V. Velu would be part of team, he added. Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Oomen Chandy, and Dinesh Gundu Rao met DMK representatives on Friday to negotiate seat-sharing talks and as per reports, Congress raised a demand for 54 seats as opposed to 41 that it contested from in previous election.

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Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021

two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as chief of 11-member steering committee. With AIADMK anuncing it will continue its national alliance with BJP, saffron party is yet to officially anunce its state-level alliance. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cant afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping state in 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats. Kamal Haasan's MNM has initiated alliance talks with Arvind Kejriwal's AAP while AIMIM's Owaisi has also expressed interest to fight polls in sourn state. Erstwhile AIADMK ally Samathuva Makkal Katchi, headed by actor R Sarathkumar, joined hands with joins hands with SRM Group Paarivendhar's Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi to fight upcoming polls.

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