DMK-Congress seat-sharing talks: Chidambaram, Stalin meet to end deadlock

Congress leaders meet CM MK Stalin to resolve the DMK alliance seat-sharing deadlock for the 2026 TN polls. The state Congress chief affirmed the alliance is strong, while AIADMK's Palaniswami met Amit Shah to discuss NDA strategy.

Congress MP P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai are meeting Tamil Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence on Tuesday to resolve the deadlock around the seat-sharing formula between DMK and Congress. This meeting comes in the backdrop of the ongoing discussions for a seat-sharing pact among the parties in the DMK-led alliance.

Amid a rumoured rift between the alliance partners in the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, Selvaperunthagai, on Monday, clarified that a settlement between Congress and DMK about seat sharing would be reached after negotiation, adding that there's no confusion between the two parties. "Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here. We're asking for a few more seats, and a settlement will be reached," the State Congress chief said. "The DMK and Congress, the INDIA Bloc Alliance, is a natural alliance, an ideological alliance. Where's the disagreement? In every election, all parties, even smaller ones, demand more seats. We'll ask for whatever we need. Our Chief Minister, Stalin, will certainly consider it. There's no problem; everything is running smoothly," he added. He also dismissed the rumours about Congress talking to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), stating, "We did not speak to TVK. Who said we spoke to TVK? I am the PCC president. My high command also did not give me any direction to speak to them directly or indirectly. We do not have any backdoor politics."

AIADMK Discusses NDA Strategy

Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday left for Chennai after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss the political situation in Tamil Nadu and strategies ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Addressing reporters at the airport, Palaniswami said the meeting at the Union Home Minister's residence focused on the current political landscape in the state and ways to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the polls. He added that the AIADMK is in talks with several other parties regarding potential alliances, and some are expected to join the NDA bloc. He also clarified that there have been no discussions about including VK Sasikala's party in the alliance.

The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance. (ANI)

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