Chennai’s power corridors hum with speculation as DMK-led SPA initiates seat division talks Sunday, eyeing a redux of 2021’s triumphant template. Yet, assertive partners and recent recruits like DMDK and MNM are set to make it a protracted affair.
DMK’s 2021 formula was a masterstroke: 188 seats for itself, 25 for Congress, single digits elsewhere. This cycle, expanded alliances demand recalibration.
Leadership plans to float total seat tallies first, then negotiate hotspots. ‘Wishlists submitted; phased progression ahead,’ a key insider disclosed.
Bargain-hardening is evident. Leftists pivot from six to double-digit pursuits. MDMK anticipates share tweaks from its 15-seat history. DMDK presses for 6-8.
MNM’s evolution—from 2021 solo bid to 2024 backing that secured Haasan’s Rajya Sabha seat—positions it shrewdly. Haasan demurs personal haggling: ‘Our stance at apt hour; alliance solidarity first.’
Stalin’s DMK must navigate this minefield, accommodating pushes for clout and nominations sans self-weakening. The outcome will shape coalition resilience and electoral fortunes in a fiercely contested state.