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DMK-Congress Seal 2026 Tamil Nadu Poll Deal: 28 Seats, 1 RS Berth

The DMK and Congress have finalized a seat-sharing agreement for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. As part of the deal, the Congress party will contest from 28 constituencies and also receive one Rajya Sabha seat. The pact is a key move to consolidate the incumbent Secular Progressive Alliance ahead of the state polls. The 2026 election is shaping up to be a three-way contest with the BJP-AIADMK alliance and actor Vijay's new party also in the fray.

Key Points: DMK, Congress Finalize Seat-Sharing for 2026 Tamil Nadu Elections

  • Congress allotted 28 Assembly seats
  • One Rajya Sabha seat for Congress
  • Deal strengthens Secular Progressive Alliance
  • 2026 polls set for three-way contest
2 min read

"Going to fight elections together very strongly": State Congress In-charge Chodankar after seat-sharing deal with DMK

Congress gets 28 Assembly seats & 1 Rajya Sabha berth in DMK alliance for 2026 Tamil Nadu polls, strengthening the Secular Progressive Alliance.

"We are going to fight the elections together very strongly. - Girish Chodankar"

Chennai, March 4

Tamil Nadu State Congress In-charge Girish Chodankar on Wednesday said the party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections together with full strength, following the conclusion of seat-sharing talks between the two parties.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai after the agreement was finalised, the State Congress In-charge said, "We have agreed. We have signed. We are going to fight the elections together very strongly."

The remarks come after the second round of discussions between Congress leaders and the DMK leadership ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

As part of the agreement, Congress will contest 28 Assembly constituencies in the state and will also be allotted one Rajya Sabha seat.

In a statement, party leaders said that the decision came following the meeting between the DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai.

"With regard to the upcoming 2026 Legislative Assembly General Elections, a meeting was held today (04-03-2026) between the President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Hon'ble Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, K. Selvaperunthagai, to discuss seat-sharing arrangements. It was decided that the Congress Party, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance, will contest in 28 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. It was also agreed that one seat will be allocated to the Congress Party in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha election," the statement read.

The seat-sharing agreement marks a key step in consolidating the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, reflecting efforts to strengthen electoral coordination between DMK and Congress in the state.

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

Actor-turned-politician Vijay's entry with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is expected to turn the Tamil Nadu polls into a three-way contest.

In the 2021 polls, the DMK won 133 seats in the 2021 Assembly polls. Congress won 18, PMK won five, VCK won four, and others won eight seats. The Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), led by DMK, which consisted of Congress, won 159 seats collectively.

While the NDA won 75 seats, the AIADMK emerged as the largest party in the alliance with 66 seats.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
28 seats for Congress seems fair. They need to work hard to win them though, can't just rely on DMK's wave. Last time they got 18. Need a better ground game this time.
K
Karthik V
With Vijay's TVK entering, this alliance math becomes even more important. A split in anti-incumbency vote could benefit the AIADMK-BJP. SPA needs a very strong, united campaign.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to watch from outside. The 'Dravidian Model 2.0' vs the national parties. Tamil Nadu politics is always so distinct from the rest of India. Early seat-sharing is a smart move.
M
Manish T
One Rajya Sabha seat is a good bonus for Congress. Gives them a voice in the national arena from the state. Hope this alliance focuses on real issues like jobs and infrastructure, not just identity politics.
A
Anjali F
Respectfully, I hope the Congress leadership in TN is strong enough. Sometimes in these alliances, the smaller partner just becomes a passenger. They need to assert their own vision for the state's future too.

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