Tamil Nadu poll pitch: MNM-DMK seat talks stuck over ‘rising sun’ symbol

Chennai: Seat-sharing talks between DMK and actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) faced a road block on Thursday as DMK wanted the party to contest on its ‘rising sun' symbol. MNM has conveyed that it would contest only on a symbol of its own. Party president Kamal Haasan has convened an emergency meeting of senior functionaries on Friday to discuss the issue.

MNM general secretary A Arunachalam told reporters after the second round of talks on Thursday, that the number of seats was not an issue between the parties. "DMK asked us to contest on their ‘rising sun' symbol, but we informed them that we will contest on our own symbol just like how we contested in 2019 and 2021," Arunachalam said. MNM has been allotted the ‘torchlight' symbol for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly poll.




Arunachalam said there was no disagreement over the number of seats. Though he did not divulge the number of seats, party sources said DMK had offered two seats. Sources said the discussion also revolved around a compromise formula where MNM would contest one seat on its own symbol and the other on the ‘rising sun'.

MDMK follows such a formula. Out of the four seats it was allotted, MDMK candidates would contest on DMK's symbol in three segments and one on their own symbol.

As the talks were stalled, MNM has asked its district secretaries and heads of various party wings and committees to join a meeting.

Talks between CPM and DMK also remain stuck. CPM leaders said that they have conveyed to DMK their demand for more seats than the 2021 assembly elections. The DMK is yet to respond, CPM sources said.

Meanwhile, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan called on chief minister M K Stalin at his Alwarpet residence on Thursday.