K. C. Venugopal and Screening Committee chairman T. S. Singh Deo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M. K. Stalin
NEW DELHI: With a meeting between Congress general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal and Screening Committee chairman T. S. Singh Deo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M. K. Stalin last Sunday, the grand old party formally initiated seat sharing discussions for the upcoming Assembly elections, sources said.
According to party insiders, the Congress negotiation team is set to hold detailed discussions with the DMK panel led by T. R. Baalu. The talks are expected to focus primarily on the number of constituencies to be contested in the southern state.
Sources indicated that the Congress intends to press for at least 35 seats but may ultimately have to settle for 28 seats in the Assembly polls scheduled for April-May this year, along with one or two Rajya Sabha berths.
Party sources said that during Sunday’s meeting with Stalin, Venugopal and Singh Deo held a brief and cordial interaction centered on the alliance framework. However, seat-sharing specifics were not discussed during that meeting.
According to insiders, Stalin made it clear that there would be no power-sharing arrangement in the state government. However, he indicated that Congress could be accommodated in panchayat and local body polls, along with certain chairman and other posts.
When asked about the possibility of a Rajya Sabha berth from Tamil Nadu, party insiders suggested that the DMK’s candidate list would clarify the direction of the alliance. Congress sources maintained that the party is keen on securing a Rajya Sabha seat from the state and that the final DMK list would significantly influence the alliance dynamics.
Insiders also noted that the cordial atmosphere of the discussions, including informal conversations around Rajya Sabha representation, has encouraged the Congress to remain hopeful that earlier commitments would be honored.
Meanwhile, the scheduled round of seat sharing talks has gained added significance amid growing political speculation that Congress may be exploring alternative options, including informal outreach to actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Sources said that repeated open offers from TVK could be considered if negotiations with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam fail to produce a satisfactory arrangement. DMK sources indicated that the party has so far offered around 25 Assembly seats and one Rajya Sabha berth to Congress, with the possibility of increasing the Assembly allocation to 27 or 28 seats at most.
