No agreement reached between DMK and Congress

DMK and Congress meeting ends without agreement on seat-sharing for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

The meeting between DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) went well, but the two sides could not reach an agreement on seat-sharing for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Sources said the two leaders held “discussions on issues that need to be resolved”. However, the number of seats for the Congress did not figure in the meeting. The DMK is also not inclined to substantially increase the number of seats for the Congress, though it has already committed to a Rajya Sabha seat. The Congress was allotted 25 seats in the last Assembly elections.

Although DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin shares a good rapport with the Congress leadership, the options available in Tamil Nadu — particularly the launch of a new party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), by actor Vijay — are putting pressure on the DMK to part with more seats.

When asked whether the Congress was considering an alliance with actor Vijay’s party, a DMK source said, “How do we know the mind of the Congress leaders?”

However, DMK sources felt that the continuation of the alliance depended on the Congress’s decision to accept the seats on offer. “If they ask for a substantial increase, we cannot oblige,” the source said.