DMK begins seat sharing talks, K C Venugopal meets M K Stalin

The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has begun formal seat-sharing negotiations with its alliance partners ahead of the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

As part of the process, Congress leader K C Venugopal met Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin at his Alwarpet residence in Chennai on Sunday.

According to Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) sources, the meeting lasted around 45 minutes. During the discussions, Venugopal apprised Stalin of the Congress party’s expectations and the constituencies it intends to contest in the upcoming polls.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of recent consultations between DMK MP Kanimozhi and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi over seat-sharing arrangements.

The talks also follow demands raised by a section of state Congress leaders seeking a share in power in the event of the alliance retaining office. Chief Minister Stalin had earlier ruled out such an arrangement, stating that a power-sharing model would not be suitable for Tamil Nadu’s political structure.

Responding to queries from the media before the meeting, Venugopal declined to elaborate on the Congress party’s demands and said, “Wait and see.”

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai and Kanimozhi were among the leaders present during the discussions.

Earlier in the day, the DMK held seat-sharing talks with its long-time ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) . Sources said the IUML sought five seats, while the DMK offered two, citing the need to accommodate several alliance partners.

The DMK leads the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu. The coalition includes the Congress, the DMDK, Left parties and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) .

Further rounds of negotiations with alliance partners are expected in the coming days as the ruling party moves toward finalising seat allocations for the Assembly elections.