Grand alliance in Tamil Nadu: BJP to contest on 5 seats, PMK-7

Chennai, Feb 19: After confirming an alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, BJP president Amit Shah and the party's Tamil Nadu election in-charge, Piyush Goyal, sealed deal with AIADMK on Tuesday.

Out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies, BJP will contest on 5 seats and Anbumani Ramadoss-led PMK on seven seats. 

Tamil Nadu Deputy CM and AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, said, "BJP will contest on 5 seats in Lok Sabha elections & we will be contesting together in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry." 

Union Minister Piyush 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 & EPS in state & in leadership of Modi Ji in center."

With the elections just round the corner, the BJP roping in regional parties in order to boost its chances of staying in power.

BJP has been trying hard to float formidable alliance to take on the DMK-Congress combine in the state.

Earlier on February 14 , BJP's Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal formally commenced alliance talks with the AIADMK. The three-hour meeting that went past midnight took place at industrialist Mahalingam Ponnusamy's home.

It can be recalled that during 2014 elections, the AIADMK had won 37 of the 39 seats, with the BJP winnng one and Pattali Makkal Katchi winning another.