CHENNAI: With seat-sharing talks between the DMK and the Congress yet to be finalised, DMK MP and parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi on Wednesday met Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Delhi.
The 40-minute meeting came amid growing strain between the allies over the Congress’ demand for more seats and a share in a future DMK-led government.
Kanimozhi left without speaking to the media, and the Congress did not issue an official statement. However, Congress sources described the meeting as “cordial and productive,” citing Kanimozhi’s long-standing working relationship with the party leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi.
Sources said Kanimozhi conveyed that the DMK is not inclined to consider any power-sharing arrangement.
While ruling out a share in government, the DMK indicated that a nominal increase in the number of Assembly seats for the Congress could be considered, though a substantial increase was unlikely.
The Congress has been pressing for at least 35 seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, up from the 25 it contested in 2021, when it won 18 seats. During talks between the two parties’ seat-sharing committees in December, it was agreed that while power sharing was off the table, the issue of additional seats could be discussed further.
The meeting was seen as an attempt to ease tensions that had surfaced in recent weeks, with some Congress leaders publicly demanding a share in power. A DMK source described the interaction as aimed at “putting an end to the friction” between the two parties.
DMK sources said the Congress’ seat-sharing committee is expected to meet the DMK negotiating team in Chennai, with talks tentatively scheduled for February 3 and 4, after Chief Minister MK Stalin constitutes the DMK committee in early February.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal is likely to visit Tamil Nadu in the first week of February to help finalise the talks.
Congress sources said Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will begin campaigning in the state once the seat-sharing arrangement is concluded.