CHENNAI (Feb 24, 2026) — High-stakes seat-sharing negotiations between the DMK and Congress have hit a stalemate, with Chief Minister MK Stalin reportedly refusing to grant the Congress more than 25–28 seats for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
Key Points of Contention
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Seat Count: Congress is pushing for 41 seats (the number they contested in 2016), citing their high strike rate in 2021. However, the DMK remains firm on its offer of 25 seats, arguing that they must accommodate more allies this time.
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No Power-Sharing: Stalin has categorically rejected the Congress’ demand for a share in the government, stating that a coalition cabinet could project “instability” in the state.
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The Rajya Sabha Compromise: Sources suggest the DMK may concede to a long-standing demand for one Rajya Sabha seat to pacify the national partner.
Strategic Friction
The DMK’s reluctance stems from a belief that the Congress lacks strong grassroots candidates for a high-stakes election. Conversely, the Congress points to the fact that they won 18 of their 25 seats last time, while the DMK lost 55 of the seats it contested.
The “Vijay Factor”
Adding pressure to the alliance, sources indicate that actor-politician Vijay’s TVK has reportedly reached out with a tempting offer of 70 seats to the Congress, though the national party currently remains focused on the DMK alliance.
