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TN Congress Chief Assures Smooth Alliance Talks with DMK Ahead of 2026 Polls

Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai met Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, stating that alliance discussions between the DMK and Congress are progressing smoothly for the 2026 Assembly elections. He downplayed the meeting as a courtesy call and dismissed speculations of a rift or backchannel talks with other parties. Selvaperunthagai affirmed that negotiations for seat-sharing are a normal part of the electoral process and a settlement will be reached. Meanwhile, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami also held discussions with the BJP's Amit Shah as both major alliances prepare for the polls.

Key Points: DMK-Congress Alliance Talks Smooth, Says TN Congress Chief

  • Alliance talks for 2026 polls ongoing
  • Congress seeks more seats in negotiation
  • Meeting dismissed as courtesy call
  • DMK-Congress called ideological alliance
  • AIADMK also holds parallel alliance talks
2 min read

"Everything is going on smoothly": TN Congress Chief Selvaperunthagai after meeting Stalin over alliance talks

TN Congress chief meets CM Stalin, says alliance talks are progressing smoothly for 2026 Assembly polls, dismissing speculations of a rift.

"Everything is going on smoothly. I am a soldier of the party. Whatever the high command says, I will follow. - K Selvaperunthagai"

Chennai, March 3

After meeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, State Congress President K Selvaperunthagai on Tuesday said the alliance between the DMK and Congress remains intact and discussions are progressing without friction ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

"Everything is going on smoothly. I am a soldier of the party. Whatever the high command says, I will follow. AICC will make the final decision," Selvaperunthagai told reporters after the meeting.

Downplaying speculations over seat-sharing talks, he added, "This was just a courtesy call, and we went there. There are no speculations and no negotiations."

The meeting comes amid ongoing discussions between the DMK and Congress to finalise a seat-sharing formula for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly polls. Congress MP P Chidambaram was also part of the discussions at Stalin's residence, which were seen as crucial in resolving the reported deadlock within the DMK-led alliance.

Addressing rumours of a rift, Selvaperunthagai on Monday clarified that negotiations are a routine aspect of electoral politics.

"Negotiations take place in every election, and each party will demand more seats, and a settlement will eventually be reached. The same will happen here. We're asking for a few more seats, and a settlement will be reached," he said.

Calling the DMK-Congress partnership under the INDIA bloc a "natural" and "ideological" alliance, he insisted there was no disagreement between the two parties. He also dismissed speculation about backchannel talks with Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, stating that neither he nor the party high command had initiated any such communication.

Meanwhile, Edappadi K Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss the political situation in the state and strategies to strengthen the NDA ahead of the polls. Palaniswami said the AIADMK is in talks with several parties for potential alliances but ruled out any discussions involving VK Sasikala's party.

Notably, the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for the win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
"Whatever the high command says, I will follow" – This is the problem with Congress sometimes. State leaders should have more say in local matters, not just wait for Delhi's orders. Respectfully, this top-down approach needs to change.
R
Rohit P
Seat-sharing drama before every election is so predictable! All parties do the same "we want more seats" dance. Hope they finalize it soon so actual work and campaigning can begin. 2026 is not that far away.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the parallel meetings – DMK-Congress and AIADMK-BJP. Tamil Nadu politics is always a fascinating chess game. The INDIA bloc really needs a strong showing here in the south.
K
Karthik V
As a Tamilian, I just hope whichever alliance wins focuses on development, jobs, and water issues. Less drama, more work, please. The "Dravidian Model 2.0" sounds good, but we need to see concrete results on the ground.
N
Nisha Z
Glad they dismissed rumors about talks with Vijay's party. Clarity is important. The DMK-Congress alliance has a strong base. They should stick together and present a united front. Fingers crossed for a smooth negotiation! 👍

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