With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching in two months, the ruling DMK is yet to finalize its electoral alliance, leading to political speculation. The Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule by the end of next month, initiating the nomination process. Parties are facing pressure to settle alliances, seat-sharing, and candidate announcements before the election.
The upcoming election is anticipated to involve a four-cornered contest. The DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led opposition are prominent players. Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s MNM has aligned with the DMK, strengthening the ruling party’s position. The BJP continues its alliance with the AIADMK, joined by parties like the PMK, Tamil Maanila Congress, New Justice Party, Democratic Party of India, and Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi.
Adding to the complexity, Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi is running independently. Despite having contested multiple Assembly elections, the DMK is yet to announce its final alliance formula for the upcoming election. Negotiations with DMDK have caused delays, with the latter initially demanding a significant number of seats and financial support, leading to challenges for both major Dravidian parties.
The DMK and AIADMK have taken a firm stance, highlighting the decreased vote share and leadership changes within the DMDK. Talks have now centered around allocating six to eight seats, with a Rajya Sabha seat to be discussed later. The DMK’s strategic delay in the alliance announcement is seen as a move to potentially enhance its bargaining power amid ongoing political developments in Tamil Nadu.
