Chennai, March 4: In a significant political development, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress Party have struck a seat-sharing deal for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. As per the agreement, Congress will contest 28 Assembly constituencies and has been allocated one seat in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
The decision was made after a meeting between DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Congress Committee President K. Selvaperunthagai. In a statement, the leaders confirmed the outcome of the discussions, which took place on March 4, 2026.
The statement read: "Regarding the forthcoming 2026 Legislative Assembly General Elections, a meeting was held today between M.K. Stalin, the President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and K. Selvaperunthagai, the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, to finalize seat-sharing arrangements. It was agreed that Congress, as part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), will contest 28 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, one seat will be allocated to Congress in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election."
The talks were part of the second round of seat-sharing discussions held at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam. Representatives from both parties attended, including AICC Election In-charge Girish Chodankar, Congress Legislature Party Leader Rajesh Kumar, and AICC Secretary Nivedit Alva. Also present were Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and DMK Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi.
This agreement is a crucial step in strengthening the Secular Progressive Alliance ahead of the 2026 elections, aiming to solidify the electoral coordination between DMK and Congress in Tamil Nadu. With the state Assembly elections scheduled for the first half of 2026, the incumbent DMK-led alliance will seek to leverage the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' in their campaign to counter the BJP-AIADMK alliance.
The entry of actor-turned-politician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is expected to introduce a new dynamic, making the Tamil Nadu elections a three-way contest. In the 2021 elections, DMK won 133 seats, while Congress secured 18. Other allies like PMK, VCK, and smaller parties won additional seats. The Secular Progressive Alliance, led by DMK, collectively won 159 seats, while the NDA, comprising the BJP and AIADMK, garnered 75 seats.
