BJP, AIADMK join hands for Lok Sabha poll, BJP to contest on 5 seats

ANI photo

Chennai: Finalising the pact for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, AIADMK and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday officially declared a pre-poll alliance in Tamil Nadu. The announcement comes in a joint press conference held by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswamy, his Deputy O Panneerselvam and Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

"BJP will contest on five seats in Lok Sabha elections and we will be contesting together in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," Panneerselvam said.

Speaking on the alliance, BJP's senior leader Goyal said, "We will support AIADMK in the by-elections on 21 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. We have agreed to contest elections in the leadership of OPS and EPS in the state and in the leadership of Narendra Modi in the Center."

Earlier in the day, AIADMK announced a tie-up with Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) saying that the latter would contest on seven Lok Sabha seats. It was also decided that the PMK would be allocated a Rajya Sabha seat.

A formal agreement on the poll alliance was signed between the leadership of AIADMK and the PMK at a city hotel. Under the deal, the PMK would support AIADMK in the bypolls expected to 21 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, Panneerselvam said.

(With inputs from PTI)