Chennai, Jan 31 (IANS) The PMK party will decide at its general council meeting whether to join the DMK-led alliance in the upcoming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, a party official said Monday.

DMK president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has said the DMK front will comprise of VCK, PMK, Puratchi Bharatham and the Muslim League, besides the Congress.

However, reacting to Karunanidhi’s statement, a senior PMK leader told IANS on condition of anonymity: ‘Our party is yet to decide on the alliance matter. Perhaps Karunanidhi made that declaration as a strategy to make a hard bargain for seats with the Congress leadership during his Delhi visit.’

Citing PMK founder S. Ramadoss’ statement denying firming up of the alliance, the PMK leader said: ‘Our party has a general inclination to join the DMK alliance to fight this assembly election. But that does not mean we have decided.’

‘The conditions may change even at the last moment as we are also getting signals from AIADMK,’ he said.

He said the PMK will have to get at least 35 seats to contest in the assembly polls ‘though our demand will be 40 seats’.

To a question whether ideologically PMK can be in sync with AIADMK, he said: ‘We have no issues with AIADMK. It is only the Vijayakant’s DMDK factor that is a hindrance. If DMDK joins hands with AIADMK then PMK will be considered as the third in the line behind DMDK.’

He said attempts are being made by Congress-DMK to convince Vijayakant to go it alone again this time so that DMK can romp home by splitting the opposition votes.

Chennai, Jan 31 (IANS) The PMK party will decide at its general council meeting whether to join the DMK-led alliance in the upcoming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, a party official said Monday.

DMK president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has said the DMK front will comprise of VCK, PMK, Puratchi Bharatham and the Muslim League, besides the Congress.

However, reacting to Karunanidhi’s statement, a senior PMK leader told IANS on condition of anonymity: ‘Our party is yet to decide on the alliance matter. Perhaps Karunanidhi made that declaration as a strategy to make a hard bargain for seats with the Congress leadership during his Delhi visit.’

Citing PMK founder S. Ramadoss’ statement denying firming up of the alliance, the PMK leader said: ‘Our party has a general inclination to join the DMK alliance to fight this assembly election. But that does not mean we have decided.’

‘The conditions may change even at the last moment as we are also getting signals from AIADMK,’ he said.

He said the PMK will have to get at least 35 seats to contest in the assembly polls ‘though our demand will be 40 seats’.

To a question whether ideologically PMK can be in sync with AIADMK, he said: ‘We have no issues with AIADMK. It is only the Vijayakant’s DMDK factor that is a hindrance. If DMDK joins hands with AIADMK then PMK will be considered as the third in the line behind DMDK.’

He said attempts are being made by Congress-DMK to convince Vijayakant to go it alone again this time so that DMK can romp home by splitting the opposition votes.