Chennai: With Tamil Nadu’s Assembly elections likely in April, Congress leaders are pressing the ruling DMK to begin seat-sharing discussions. Two senior MPs, Manickam Tagore and Karti Chidambaram, voiced concerns over the delay, noting that the Congress had formed a five-member committee for talks as early as December 1 but has received no response from the DMK.
Tagore emphasized that the party “has been waiting for almost 36 days” and questioned why the DMK had not yet set up its own committee. Chidambaram, while slightly more optimistic, said that expectations are normal in alliances and “everything will get sorted out.” He added that former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had reminded senior DMK leader Kanimozhi to form their committee, but no action has followed.
The Congress has been allied with the DMK since 2016, winning multiple polls together, including the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Assembly elections. Despite these victories, Congress has not held ministerial positions in the state government, and leaders are now seeking at least six cabinet berths ahead of the upcoming election.
DMK sources responded that talks will commence only after election dates are announced, citing that ongoing discussions could distract from current government projects. The party also appears to be exploring discussions with the regional Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), which may be more flexible on power-sharing.
Some political observers suggest that Congress may reconsider alliances in light of Tamil actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) entering the electoral fray, potentially offering Congress an alternative seat-sharing arrangement. While no formal talks with TVK have been confirmed, backroom negotiations reportedly include offers of over 60 seats and ministerial positions, raising stakes for the Congress-DMK partnership.
As the countdown to the elections continues, both parties face pressure to resolve seat-sharing disputes without undermining their alliance or electoral prospects.
