Congress Seeks More Seats from DMK in Tamil Nadu Ahead of Assembly Elections; Eyes Actor Vijay’s TVK as Alternative

Chennai, Tamil Nadu: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for next year, political negotiations are heating up. The Congress party has demanded a larger share of seats and greater representation in government from its ally, the DMK. Sources indicate that Congress now aims to contest over 50 seats, up from 25 seats in the 2021 elections, where it won 18 seats.

Seat Demand and Power-Sharing
Girish Chodankar, in charge of Tamil Nadu for the All India Congress Committee (AICC), recently conveyed Congress’s demands to DMK chief M.K. Stalin. The party has emphasized that if the alliance comes to power, Congress should receive a significant share in governance. Party leaders cite missed opportunities in the 2006 elections—when Congress contested 48 seats, won 34, and supported DMK from outside despite falling short of a majority—as a reason to push firmly for power-sharing this time.

Changing Political Landscape
An AICC official explained that Tamil Nadu’s political situation has evolved, and past seat-sharing patterns cannot serve as a benchmark. The Congress leadership believes that strengthening the party in the state requires greater participation in governance. Talks on seat allocation and other alliance matters are expected to begin soon, with the party keen to avoid delays similar to Bihar elections, where protracted negotiations failed to yield early campaigning advantages.

Watching Actor Vijay’s TVK
While Congress insists that its alliance with DMK remains intact, several party leaders are also keeping a close eye on Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), the new political outfit launched by popular actor Vijay. TVK has been gaining traction among young voters and is positioning itself as an alternative to both DMK and AIADMK. Analysts are also assessing how the party, led by a leader from the Christian community—which comprises about 7% of the state’s population—could influence DMK’s hold over the approximately 12% minority vote share in Tamil Nadu.