The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Friday formalised a seat-sharing agreement with its regional ally, the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK), ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Under the deal, KMDK will contest two constituencies using the DMK’s iconic ‘rising sun’ symbol.

The agreement was signed at the DMK headquarters at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, in the presence of Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin and KMDK general secretary E.R. Eswaran. Following the formalisation, Stalin departed from the venue, signalling the completion of talks with the regional ally.

This development comes amid growing friction between the DMK and its primary INDIA bloc partner, the Congress. The Congress has reportedly demanded a minimum of 35 seats, citing improved performance in recent local and national elections, while the DMK insists on contesting at least 180 seats independently to secure a comfortable majority in the 234-member Assembly.

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Negotiations between the two parties indicate that the Congress may need to settle for around 25 seats, mirroring the arrangement in the 2021 Assembly elections. The dispute has intensified as Congress leaders seek not only electoral representation but also a share in the state cabinet, arguing that their grassroots support merits governance roles.

Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore emphasised the need for power-sharing, stating that a coalition government would better reflect the aspirations of all alliance partners. However, the DMK leadership remains firm on its “single-party rule” stance, traditionally resisting ministerial berths for allies while maintaining overall coalition cooperation during elections.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK returned to power after a decade, winning 133 out of 234 seats and forming a clear majority. The Congress, as a key ally, contested 25 seats and secured 18, highlighting its role in the coalition despite the limited number of constituencies it contested. The current standoff reflects ongoing negotiations and strategic positioning ahead of the 2026 polls.

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