As the election battle begins in Tamil Nadu with Election Commission announcing the poll dates for the state, the parties have intensified their alliance talks.

As per reports, AIADMK which leads NDA in the state election is ready to share 15 seats with BJP. The Opposition DMK is reluctant to offer much seats to Congress after the Puduchery experience.

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Meanwhile, MNM leader Kamal Hassan’s meeting with All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) chief and actor Sarath Kumar and members of Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) today once gain triggered a buzz about a Third Front taking shape in the state.

The seat sharing talks between AIADMK and BJP took place on Saturday with BJP’s Tamil Nadu election incharge and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, BJP national general secretary C T Ravi, BJP state president L Murugan meeting chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at his residence. Following this the BJP team also met deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam at his residence.

Reports stated that BJP had asked for 40 seats but AIADMK is ready to share only 15 seats. As per reports, the final call on the seat sharing is expected to be taken after Palaniswami and Panneerselvam along with BJP leaders meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday.

Amit Shah is set to address a public meeting at Villupuram on Sunday following which he will be meeting the party members before his departing to Delhi.

DMK and Congress have already started seat sharing talks and it is said that an amicable solution has come up and at the same time DMK is reluctant to share more seats. However, the final decision is yet to be made. DMK has also announced that the interview for the aspirants from the party will be held from 2 to 6 March. Meanwhile, former Congress president and Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi arrived in Tamil Nadu on Saturday morning on a three-day visit as part of his second phase of campaigning in the state. Rahul Gandhi was accorded a rousing reception when he landed at the Tuticorin airport by TNCC leaders and workers.

As part of his second phase campaign tour, he will meet various sections of the people, including advocates, public and fishermen in the southern districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts. Meanwhile, AISMK and IJK formed an alliance for the Assembly elections on Friday. AISMK was earlier with AIADMK alliance with Sarath Kumar winning an MLA seat from Tenkasi in 2011, TR Paarivendhar of IJK contested and won on DMK’s Rising Sun symbol in the parliamentary elections of 2019.

Speaking to the media after meeting, Sarath Kumar said that he spoke to Kamal Haasan for forming an alliance with people of good intentions and similar ideology.

Sarath Kumar, who was earlier with AIADMK alliance, said, “I have been with AIADMK for the past 10 years and even CM Edappadi last week said that all the alliance partners are intact and Samathuva Makkal Katchi is also with AIADMK. However, there is a time limit for everything.”

On Saturday, Kamal inducted former MLA Pala Karuppiah into the party, and said that he will contest in the upcoming polls. Pala Karuppiah was elected as an AIADMK MLA from the Chennai Harbour constituency in 2011. However, Pala Karuppiah was expelled from AIADMK by the then General Secretary J Jayalalithaa in 2016 for bringing disrepute to the party. In the same year, Karuppiah joined DMK but quit DMK in 2019 alleging that corruption. The MNM chief also announced a poll tie-up with Satta Panchayat Iyakkam.