CHENNAI: After negotiating with both the BJP-AIADMK front and the Congress-DMK alliance until Monday evening, PMK chose to strike an electoral deal with the ruling party as it offered seven Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat, instead of the DMK’s offer of four LS seats.If the DMK’s attitude towards the PMK was one of ‘take it or leave it,’ the AIADMK, aware of its handicaps and political isolation in the state, was eager to win over PMK founder S Ramadoss and his son Anbumani Ramadoss . In the absence of a charismatic leader like J Jayalalithaa, the dual leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam was more accommodative and less assertive with the allies, a senior AIADMK leader said.The AIADMK leadership is happy that it could secure a commitment from alliance partners – the BJP and the PMK - about their support to the AIADMK in the ensuring byelections to the 21 vacant assembly seats. In all probability, the by-polls could be held simultaneously with the LS polls. Winning the 21 assembly segments is crucial for Palaniswami government’s survival.The PMK, apparently, weighed the scope for better mobilisation of resources in the AIADMK front. The negotiations touched upon electioneering, sharing of resources and logistical issues as well, said sources in both the AIADMK and the PMK. A section in the DMK, led by party treasurer Duraimurugan had been pushing for a tie-up with the PMK as its support is vital for sailing through in the northern districts and Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri in the west.The PMK feels it would have a better strike rate compared to the 2014 elections, when it contested from eight seats and won only Dharmapuri seat. It could also bargain for share of power at the Centre when indications are that no party would get absolute majority and it would be a coalition government that is going to come. Having been a Union cabinet minister in the past, Anbumani’s eyes are set on yet another stint as Union minister.It may not be a cakewalk for the PMK, however, as it is facing revolt from within its own ranks. Former MLA Kaduvetti Guru’s family has declared an open war against the PMK leadership, accusing it of ruining the vanniyar community, said analyst M Kasinathan. Moreover, AIADMK’s ministers in Villupuram (C Ve Shanmugham) and Dharmapuri (K P Anbalagan) could pose challenges to the PMK as Anbumani, until recently, had been unleashing scathing attacks against them, he said.

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