After rounds of negotiations, the DMK allotted 28 Assembly seats to Congress for the forthcoming Assembly polls and one Rajya Sabha seat for the March 16 biennial election. The development came at a time when there were intense speculations of Congress considering a poll alliance with actor Vijay’s TVK.
The seat-sharing deal was formalised by DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin and TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam in Chennai.
Senior leaders, including AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar, DMK leaders TR Baalu and Kanimozhi were also present in the meeting.
On March 3, veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram along with Selvaperunthagai held negotiations with DMK top brass at Anna Arivalayam.
The Congress was demanding 45 seats, the DMK was reluctant to go beyond 25 in the 234-member Assembly. The DMK wanted to stick to the 2021 Assembly poll formulae, when Congress contested on 25 seats. However, the Congress was demanding 45 seats based on a review of the 2021 election results. The party had won 18 of the 25 seats it contested.
In the 2021 state polls, the DMK contested 173 seats and won 40 constituencies.
The DMK leads the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, and its constituents include the Congress, the DMDK, Left parties, and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.
