The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has called for urgent meetings of its State Committee and State Executive Committee due to uncertainty surrounding seat-sharing arrangements in the DMK-led alliance for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The Election Commission’s announcement of the poll schedule has spurred heightened negotiations among alliance members. While most parties in the DMK coalition have settled or are close to finalizing their seat-sharing deals, discussions with CPI(M) are still ongoing, adding complexity to the alliance dynamics.
According to party sources, the CPI(M) leadership has engaged in three rounds of talks with the DMK. Initially, the Marxist party insisted on an increase in the number of seats from the six it contested in the 2021 Assembly elections, citing its organizational strength and electoral contributions. However, in the latest round of negotiations, CPI(M) has slightly softened its stance, aiming for at least the same number of seats as in the previous election.
Despite this, the DMK leadership has proposed allocating only five seats to CPI(M), citing the inclusion of new allies in the coalition and the necessity to accommodate them within a limited seat allocation. The CPI(M) has not agreed to this proposal, emphasizing that a reduction in seats would not be acceptable. As the DMK recently finalized a separate seat-sharing agreement with the Communist Party of India (CPI), allotting it five seats, the CPI(M)’s emergency meetings will likely discuss the party’s next steps, including whether to continue negotiations under the current terms or push for a revised agreement.
Party insiders suggest that the leadership may also evaluate the broader political implications of accepting a reduced seat share. The outcomes of these meetings are expected to significantly influence the final structure of the DMK-led alliance, as all parties gear up to escalate their campaign efforts in the lead-up to the elections.
