The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is willing to offer 27-28 assembly seats and a Rajya Sabha berth to the Congress in the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections as seat-sharing negotiations continue between the two alliance partners, according to multiple media reports.
The ruling DMK began seat-sharing negotiations with Congress leader KC Venugopal, meeting Chief Minister MK Stalin at his Alwarpet residence on Sunday.
The two parties were unable to reach a preliminary agreement on the number of seats the Congress, a junior partner in the alliance, would contest in the upcoming Assembly election in Tamil Nadu. The formal seat-sharing talks would be held on February 26 or 27, according to a report in The Hindu.
However, leaders aware of the meeting held on Sunday night, suggested that the DMK is ready to offer 27 assembly seats and a Rajya Sabha berth to the Congress for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, according to a report in Hindustan Times.
How many seats did Congress fight in 2021?
Remember, the Congress party contested 25 seats in the 2021 polls, winning 18, as part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA). In this election, however, it is expected to be offered 27-28 seats, according to a report in The Federal, citing sources. The DMK is willing to offer a couple of seats more than 2021 polls to the Congress.
In the last assembly election, the DMK contested 173 of the state’s 234 seats. It won 133 seats and formed the government with the Congress party’s 18 seats.
Tamil Nadu is going to the assembly polls in April-May this year.
The Congress, according to media reports, was expecting at least 30 Assembly seats at the outset, but the DMK is not willing to allot more than 25 seats and one Rajya Sabha seat. Some reports suggested that the Congress wanted one Assembly seat for every Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu, for a total of 39.
All India Congress Committee in-charge of Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar and TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai met DMK Parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi and discussed the issue on Monday, as per a report in The Hindu.
Chodankar, after meeting Kanimozhi, acknowledged that talks remained inconclusive, though the discussion on Rajya Sabha seats and local body elections went “positively”.
“We have to first conclude seat-sharing. We will update you,” he was quoted as saying in a report in The Hindu.
Congress party’s expectations
According to Tamil Nadu Congress Committee sources quoted by news agencies, Venugopalin the about 45-minute meeting on Sunday, apprised Stalin about his party’s expectations and the constituencies it wished to contest.
The talks between Stalin and Venugopal took place against the backdrop of the recent meeting between DMK leader Kanimozhi and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi over seat-sharing.
Also, the meeting follows demands by a section of state Congress leaders seeking a share in power, while CM Stalin ruled out the possibility, saying such an arrangement would not suit Tamil Nadu.
We have to first conclude seat-sharing. We will update you.
On Sunday, the DMK commenced seat-sharing talks by holding parleys with longtime ally the IUML, which sought 5 seats, and the former offered 2, citing the need to accommodate more allies.
The DMK leads the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, and its constituents include the Congress, DMDK, Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).
