Congress to Lead Opposition Alliance in Puducherry, DMK in Tamil Nadu

"The Congress has always been the leading political force in Puducherry, while the DMK is the leading party in Tamil Nadu," Selvaperunthagai said while addressing reporters after a consultation meeting of senior party leaders at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the Congress headquarters in Chennai.

The meeting was held as political parties intensify preparations ahead of the announcement of Assembly election dates for five states -- Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam -- which are expected to be declared in the coming days.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President also said the Congress would contest 28 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu as part of the seat-sharing arrangement within the DMK-led alliance.

"We will be contesting in 28 Assembly constituencies. In the seats where we are not contesting, we will work wholeheartedly for the victory of our alliance partners," he added.

The consultation meeting was attended by senior Congress leaders, including party observer Mukul Wasnik and senior in-charge Girish Chodankar.

Discussions focused on election preparedness and coordination between the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry units of the Congress ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mukul Wasnik expressed strong confidence about the alliance's prospects in the elections.

"We are very confident about our success in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Senior executives from both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have shared their views and suggestions during the meeting, and we have taken them into consideration," Wasnik said.

During the interaction, reporters asked why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had not publicly expressed happiness after the alliance agreement with the DMK was finalised.

Responding to the query, Selvaperunthagai said there was no reason to doubt Rahul Gandhi's satisfaction with the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) will certainly be happy after the alliance has been formed, but he may not necessarily express it publicly," he added.

Senior Congress leader Girish Chodankar also highlighted the party's organisational strength at the grassroots level.

"The Congress has a strong network of booth committee members across the state, and they will play an important role in ensuring the victory of the alliance in the upcoming elections," he said.

Seat-sharing talks between the DMK and Congress for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections have already been concluded, with the Congress allotted 28 Assembly constituencies and one Rajya Sabha seat.

Discussions on seat-sharing arrangements in Puducherry are also continuing as the parties prepare for the polls.

- IANS