The final seat-sharing arrangement within the DMK-led alliance for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is expected to be settled following a crucial meeting of alliance leaders in Tiruchy. Negotiations between the ruling party and its partners are currently at an impasse. The Congress party has already secured 28 seats in the alliance, while discussions with other partners are ongoing due to disagreements over the number of constituencies each party will contest.
Several alliance partners are reportedly attempting to directly reach Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin to overcome negotiation hurdles. Some leaders are seeking to bypass the DMK’s official seat-sharing committee and directly engage with CM Stalin to advocate for their demands. This strategy mirrors the approach taken by Congress leaders in their previous negotiations with the DMK leadership.
Key members of the DMK-led alliance, including the CPI, CPI(M), MDMK, VCK, DMDK, and actor Kamal Haasan’s MNM, have yet to reach a consensus with the DMK regarding the number of seats they will receive. The Left parties have requested double-digit seat allocations, emphasizing their organizational presence and electoral base in various regions. However, the DMK leadership appears inclined to allocate only around ten seats in total for both the CPI and CPI(M) combined.
Similarly, the DMDK and VCK are advocating for double-digit seat shares, although it is anticipated that they may settle for approximately eight and seven seats, respectively, as negotiations progress. Challenges have also arisen in discussions with the MDMK and MNM, not only concerning the number of seats but also the election symbol.
The DMK leadership has proposed that both parties contest using the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, a suggestion that the two parties are reportedly hesitant to agree to. Despite existing differences, DMK sources are optimistic that the alliance partners will reach a consensus soon, particularly after the Tiruchy meeting, which is set to take place shortly, brings together the leaders to finalize the seat-sharing formula.
