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EYE ON INDIA FEBRUARY 20, 2026 | The Indian Eye 8

Clouds Over Congress–DMK Alliance

as Seat Talks Begin in Tamil Nadu

Public assertions of unity mask growing tensions over seat-sharing and

power-sharing ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

OUR BUREAU

Chennai / New Delhi
s Tamil Nadu moves towards the 2026 As-
sembly elections, the Congress–DMK alli-
Aance — a key pillar of the broader INDIA
bloc — is entering a delicate phase. While leaders
on both sides insist that negotiations are “very,
very smooth,” recent remarks from Congress MP
Manickam Tagore suggest that beneath the surface,
questions of seat-sharing and power-sharing are far
from settled.
The immediate flashpoint was an indirect swipe
by Tagore at a remark attributed to Tamil Nadu
Minister Raja Kannappan about the DMK winning
160 seats while contesting 170 constituencies. Tag-
ore responded by invoking hard numbers from the
last election. “In 2021, we contested in 173 places
and won 133 .. What we’re asking is about the places
where you faced defeat. Power-sharing is essential.
Governance share is our right. The people will de-
cide,” he wrote on X.
The subtext is unmistakable. In 2021, the DMK
contested 173 seats and won 133, leading the Secular Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin interacts with women beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme in
Progressive Alliance to victory in the 234-member Chennai on Saturday (@CMOTamilnadu X/ANI)
Assembly. The DMK–Congress alliance secured
151 seats overall. While the arithmetic delivered inant partner with 133 seats in 2021 compared to the scheme due to the upcoming polls. The debate over
power, the current debate suggests Congress is un- AIADMK’s 66, enters negotiations from a position welfare versus “election fear” adds another layer
willing to accept a diminished role in the next round of strength. Congress, however, is seeking lever- to alliance dynamics. As the dominant party, the
of negotiations. age by pointing to constituencies where the DMK DMK is shaping the narrative with high-visibility
Tagore’s emphasis on “governance share” sig- “faced defeat.” welfare measures, potentially limiting Congress’s
nals that this is not merely about seat allocation but Complicating matters further is the political ability to differentiate itself within the coalition.
about political space and influence within govern- backdrop created by Chief Minister MK Stalin’s re- Meanwhile, Selvaperunthagai has sought to
ment. For Congress, which has struggled nationally, cent welfare announcements. On Friday, Stalin said keep the focus on broader alliance unity and gover-
Tamil Nadu remains one of the few states where it that Rs 3,000 had been deposited in advance for Feb- nance. Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit,
is part of a stable ruling alliance. Any perception of ruary, March and April, along with a Rs 2,000 “sum- he said, “We accepted the SOP. Everyone should ac-
marginalisation in seat-sharing could have symbolic mer special package,” totalling Rs 5,000 for 1.31 crore cept it because the people’s security and safety are
as well as electoral consequences. women beneficiaries this month. He added that un- very, very important.” He also criticised the BJP for
At the same time, Tamil Nadu Congress Com- der “Dravidian Model 2.0,” the Rs 1,000 monthly as- straying into personal commentary, asking, “Why
mittee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai has sistance would be doubled to Rs 2,000 if re-elected. are they talking about Trisha, about personal life?
projected calm. “The election process is going very, Selvaperunthagai welcomed the move, saying, It is not fair.”
very smoothly. Negotiations are ongoing, and we “Definitely. People are welcoming it. Most rural These remarks indicate that Congress is keen to
are going to start on February 22,” he told report- people are in deep poverty; there is drought and no portray itself as responsible and aligned with gover-
ers in Chennai. He dismissed speculation of cracks, proper rain. So this gift will be very helpful to poor nance priorities, even as it negotiates harder behind
asserting, “Nothing the BJP is thinking will happen. people.” He also supported the proposed hike to closed doors.
The BJP wants to pull someone out of the INDIA `2,000 per month, stating, “We welcome what our The central question is whether the Con-
alliance to split the vote bank, but it will not happen. Honourable Chief Minister announced - `2,000 per gress–DMK partnership can balance asymmetry
We are intact with the alliance.” month as ‘Women’s Rights Money.’ Rural women’s with accommodation. The DMK’s dominant per-
Yet, the need to publicly reaffirm unity often empowerment should be increased.” formance in 2021 gives it confidence; Congress’s
indicates internal strain. Seat-sharing in Tamil Nadu However, Opposition parties have criticised insistence that “power-sharing is essential” reveals
has historically been a sensitive exercise, shaped by the timing, calling it poll-driven. Stalin defended its anxiety about relevance. If seat allocation tilts
local caste equations, constituency-level strengths the advance disbursal as pre-emptive, saying his heavily in favour of the DMK without proportion-
and leadership calculations. The DMK, as the dom- government acted ahead of attempts to “block” the al space for Congress, murmurs could grow louder.

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