Chennai, March 2: The ruling party in Tamil Nadu, the DMK, has established a deadline of March 3 for Congress to finalize seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming assembly elections. This move indicates that the DMK cannot afford any further delays, especially with the Rajya Sabha elections approaching rapidly.
The last date for filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, scheduled for March 16, is March 5. The DMK-led alliance aims to finalize its candidate without any doubts, as it is projected to win four upper house seats, while the AIADMK-led front is expected to secure two.
A senior DMK leader stated on Monday that if Congress does not return to the negotiating table soon, the DMK will announce its Rajya Sabha candidate independently. The leader emphasized the need for a decision before March 5, stating, “If Congress does not come forward for discussions, we will proceed.”
In the assembly seat-sharing talks, the DMK has offered Congress 25 seats, the same number it was allocated during the 2021 elections. However, Congress is pushing for more than 35 seats, having initially requested 39.
Girish Chodankar, the AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu and head of the Congress seat-sharing committee, has deemed the DMK’s current offer unacceptable. He described the first round of discussions as positive but insisted that negotiations can only continue if Congress’s demands are met. Nevertheless, the DMK leadership has refused to increase the assembly seat allocation beyond 25.
Sources within the party indicate that the DMK is particularly irked by Congress’s openness towards actor Vijay’s Tamilga Vetrikazhagam (TVK). Chodankar recently stated that TVK should not be underestimated, citing its growing appeal among the youth and its impact on Congress and Rahul Gandhi in Tamil Nadu.
Despite this, a senior DMK leader remarked that the party is not overly concerned about a potential Congress-TVK alliance, asserting that the DMK has already formed a strong coalition. Regarding speculation about Rahul Gandhi’s participation in the DMK’s Tiruchi conference later this month, the leader noted that such decisions will be considered only after the seat-sharing negotiations are concluded.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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