The ruling DMK has informed the Congress high command of a March 3 deadline to finalize seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. This deadline is crucial due to the approaching Rajya Sabha biennial polls, with nominations closing on March 5. The DMK-led alliance aims to secure four Upper House seats, emphasizing the need for timely decisions to avoid uncertainty.
A senior DMK leader stated that if the Congress does not engage in discussions promptly, the DMK will proceed to announce its Rajya Sabha candidates independently. In the ongoing Assembly seat-sharing talks, the DMK has offered the Congress 25 constituencies, the same as in the previous elections. However, the Congress has been pushing for more than 35 seats, initially requesting 39, including two Rajya Sabha seats.
Girish Chodankar, AICC incharge for Tamil Nadu, expressed dissatisfaction with the DMK’s current offer, deeming it unacceptable. While describing the initial talks as positive, he emphasized that further discussions hinge on meeting the Congress’ demands. Despite the Congress’ openness towards actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the DMK leadership remains firm on the 25-seat allocation for the Congress in the Assembly.
Party insiders revealed the DMK’s concerns over the Congress’ perceived alignment with TVK, despite the Congress’ acknowledgment of the DMK’s strong alliance. Addressing speculation about Rahul Gandhi’s potential attendance at the DMK’s Tiruchi conference, a senior DMK leader clarified that decisions on such matters would only follow the conclusion of seat-sharing negotiations.
