The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has struck another pre-poll alliance with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu ahead of crucial Lok Sabha election later this year. Tamil Nadu has 40 (TN-39 and Pondicherry-1 ) Lok Sabha seats. The BJP will contest on 5 seats whereas AIADMK will fight on 25 seats.
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has also joined the grand alliance in the southern state. Seven seats have been allotted to PMK for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019.
Speaking on the occasion, Tamil Nadu Deputy CM O Panneerselvam said: “AIADMK and BJP will have an alliance for Lok Sabha elections which will be a mega and winning alliance.”
He further said: “BJP will contest on 5 seats in Lok Sabha elections & we will be contesting together in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.” He also said that AIADMK will fight on 21 seats in by-elections and PMK will support his party.
In the 2014 polls, AIADMK had won 37 seats and the BJP had won just 1 Lok Sabha seats. Jining hands with AIADMK, the BJP has tried to make up for the predicted loss in the Hindi heartland.
The development comes a day after the BJP announced the continuation of alliance with Shiv Sena for the upcoming general and assembly elections in Maharashtra which has 48 parliamentary seats, second highest after Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP will contest on 25 seats, while Shiv Sena will fight on 23.