NEW DELHI: As Tamil Nadu prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections, a fierce political contest is unfolding between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance and the opposition NDA bloc led in the state by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. With elections approaching, both camps have accelerated seat-sharing negotiations, particularly discussions between the DMK and its ally, the Indian National Congress.
Sources in the Congress told The Sunday Guardian that the party is seeking a larger share of seats than it received in the 2021 Assembly polls. The Congress is reportedly demanding between 40 and 45 seats in the 234-member House, while the DMK is said to be reluctant to allot more than the 25 seats the party contested last time.
According to insiders, the Congress has conveyed that it will not agree to anything below 40 seats, arguing that it deserves at least one constituency per Lok Sabha segment in the state. The party has also sought a written commitment regarding a Rajya Sabha berth, claiming that an earlier assurance on this front was not honored.
AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Girish Chodankar, accompanied by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai, called on DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi at her residence to seek a higher allocation of seats. According to the delegation that she would place the matter before Chief Minister M. K. Stalin before responding further.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said the Congress initially demanded 45 seats. In response, the DMK maintained that its expanded alliance — now comprising around ten parties — would require all partners to moderate their expectations. The DMK first proposed retaining 25 seats for the Congress and later indicated it could add two or three more, but is unlikely to exceed 28 seats.
The Congress has defended its demand by pointing to its performance in the 2021 polls, when it won 18 of the 25 seats it contested. By contrast, the DMK is said to have lost 53 of the 188 constituencies it fielded candidates in. Congress leaders have argued that they could be allotted some of the seats where the DMK failed to win, a suggestion the ruling party has reportedly declined. DMK leaders contend that accommodating one ally’s higher demand would prove difficult within a broader coalition framework this time.
In parallel developments, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, is believed to have informally indicated it could offer around 70 seats to the Congress in the event of an alliance.
However, TNCC president K. Selvaperunthagai, speaking to The Sunday Guardian, dismissed speculation about alternative arrangements. “We are not considering offers from other parties. Seat-sharing discussions are progressing smoothly. Our central leadership is in direct communication with the Chief Minister, and we will abide by their decision,” he said.
Political observers suggest that a Congress-TVK tie-up appears unlikely, noting that the two parties draw support from different voter bases. A shift away from the DMK-led alliance, analysts say, could weaken the Congress’s existing support structure. As the AIADMK-led NDA also works to finalize its own seat-sharing formula, attention remains focused on the outcome of the DMK-Congress negotiations, which could significantly shape the dynamics of the 2026 electoral contest in the state.
