Chennai witnessed a key political rendezvous on Saturday as DMK and Congress commenced structured bargaining on seat distribution for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu legislative elections. Hosted at Anna Arivalayam, the session quells prolonged alliance jitters.
TNCC’s K. Selvaperunthagai captained Congress’s delegation, comprising AICC’s Girish Chodankar, Nivedita Alva, and Rajesh Kumar of the CLP. T.R. Balu, DMK treasurer, guided the hosts’ seven-strong committee curated by CM M.K. Stalin.
Context amplifies urgency: escalating buzz positions Congress toward Plan B, including TVK links via Vijay, if impasse persists. Congress seeks 35+ assembly slots and two Rajya Sabha nods; DMK floats 25 assembly, one RS—room for 27-28 max.
Insights from talks reveal constraints: ‘Multiple allies and prospects complicate high asks,’ per a senior voice. Dropping ministerial bids, Congress targets expanded roles in local governance, civic bodies, religious boards, and welfare setups.
DMK signals openness to peripherals post-core settlements. Negotiations embody a strategic pivot—upholding enduring solidarity, navigating internal frictions, and engineering poll-ready configurations. The verdicts will ripple across Tamil Nadu’s power corridors, potentially locking in dominance or unleashing reconfiguration.