After Cong flags delay, DMK to begin seat-sharing talks with allies from 22 Feb

The ruling DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) on Tuesday said it will constitute a constituency seat-sharing committee to begin negotiations with alliance partners from 22 February, days after its principal ally, the Congress (Indian National Congress), expressed concern over a delay in initiating talks for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In a statement issued from the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, the DMK said the panel would be formed soon by party president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. “The DMK constituency seat-sharing committee, which will be formed soon by the party president, will engage in talks with allies from 22 February, once the Assembly session concludes,” the release said.

The announcement came after the AICC (All India Congress Committee) in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Girish Chodankar, said the Congress had already initiated discussions but the DMK was yet to constitute its own panel. Referring to a five-member Congress committee that met Stalin in early December 2025, Chodankar said the national party had been waiting for formal negotiations to begin.

“We have been waiting since then, hoping that they would immediately start the negotiations and clarify the number of seats and which constituencies we will contest so that we can prepare fully for the elections,” Chodankar told reporters in New Delhi.

He described it as “saddening” that talks had not begun despite repeated expectations from party leaders and workers. “Our leaders are keen and are asking why the alliance talks have not started. But nothing is coming forward from the DMK side,” he said, adding that the party needed adequate time to prepare for the polls and that he was unaware of the reason for the delay.

TNCC (Tamil Nadu Congress Committee) chief K. Selvaperunthagai also stressed the need for early negotiations. “There is no confusion from our side. The DMK has not formed the seat-sharing committee. We told our leaders that finalising the number of seats and identifying constituencies at the last minute would only affect poll preparations,” he said.

Responding to the concerns, the DMK said its cadres had been occupied with election-related organisational work and governance responsibilities. The party noted that the voters’ list revision process had been completed and that district secretaries, MPs, MLAs, office-bearers and polling agents had been engaged in intensive groundwork for weeks.

“They are working with dedication to reap the fruits of victory, by engaging in numerous activities including membership enrolment, polling booth agents’ training, etc. Soon, the party’s women’s wing members will carry out a door-to-door campaign,” the statement said.

The party added that four training sessions for polling station workers, including a conference in Tiruchirappalli, were under way alongside welfare initiatives implemented by what it described as the “Dravidian model” government.

A separate committee has also been formed to prepare the election manifesto and is touring across Tamil Nadu to gather feedback from the public. According to the party, about 75,000 requests and suggestions have been received so far.

The DMK said the State’s interim Budget would be presented on 17 February, followed by discussions in the Assembly, and cited these developments as part of the context behind the timing of the seat-sharing announcement.

The DMK-Congress alliance remains a key component of the ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu, and clarity on seat distribution is expected to shape the pace of campaign preparations ahead of the Assembly polls.