AMMK will get fair share of seats, says Dhinakaran

Madurai: AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran on Wednesday dismissed reports that his party was seeking a Rajya Sabha seat and said it would secure a fair number of seats in the upcoming elections through negotiations.Amid speculation that he was eyeing a Rajya Sabha berth and would skip the Assembly polls, Dhinakaran said there was "no such demand". He clarified that his decision not to contest the elections was aimed at ensuring smooth seat-sharing arrangements and improving the alliance's prospects. Addressing reporters in Tirunelveli, he said seat-sharing talks within the NDA in Tamil Nadu were yet to begin. While the BJP leads the alliance nationally, the AIADMK heads it in the state, he noted, adding that the AMMK would arrive at a mutually acceptable arrangement with the AIADMK under the BJP's guidance. Responding to chief minister M K Stalin's recent remarks in Kanyakumari that frequent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tamil Nadu would only widen the NDA's defeat margin, Dhinakaran said it was the chief minister who was "fearful". He alleged that Stalin was facing pressure from the Congress and political challenges from TVK leader Vijay and accused him of making such statements to deflect attention.