After prolonged negotiations, the Indian National Congress in Tamil Nadu and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have sealed their seat-sharing arrangement for the 2026 Assembly elections.
The two parties will contest the polls together as part of the Secular Progressive Alliance. Under the agreement, the Congress will field candidates in 28 Assembly constituencies and will also receive one berth in the Rajya Sabha.
The announcement followed a meeting between DMK president and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai, where the constituency-sharing formula was finalised.
Months of uncertainty
The pact comes after weeks of speculation and internal friction. Several senior Congress leaders had publicly pushed for a power-sharing formula if the alliance returned to power. Among them, Manickam Tagore had reiterated the party’s demand for a role in governance.
However, the DMK, which has historically not shared power with its allies, dismissed the Congress’s demand for ministerial representation. This reportedly caused unease within the state Congress leadership and fuelled speculation that the party might explore alternatives, including a possible understanding with actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party.
The Congress had initially sought 45 seats, citing its assessment of winnable constituencies and the DMK’s performance in the previous Assembly election, where the DMK contested 173 seats and won 133. Despite its demands, the Congress ultimately agreed to contest 28 seats under the final arrangement.
With the agreement now in place, both parties appear set to move forward together for the 2026 Assembly battle in Tamil Nadu.
