Tamil Nadu Assembly election: DMK and Congress finally seal pact for 28 seats, one Rajya Sabha berth

The ruling DMK and the Congress have finally signed the seat-sharing agreement for the Assembly elections after days of uncertainty and hard bargaining. According to the agreement signed by DMK chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin and TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai, the Congress will contest 28 seats in the Assembly. This is three times the amount allocated to the party in the alliance in 2021. The Congress was also allotted a seat in the Rajya Sabha.

The alliance, which at one point appeared to have collapsed over power-sharing and demands for higher seats, was rescued after Congress veteran P. Chidambaram stepped in as the party’s high command representative and held talks with Mr. Stalin on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Mr. Stalin reached DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam on Wednesday night, March 4, 2026, ahead of the arrival of Congress leaders. Girish Chodankar, chairman of the AICC and Congress seat-sharing committee in-charge of Tamil Nadu, TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai, Congress Legislative Assembly Party leader Rajesh Kumar and others met the Prime Minister before the signing of the agreement.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said that TNCC and Congress high command will announce the candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat. “We are happy and feel satisfied,” he said.

Mr. Chodankar said formal talks on seat sharing for Puducherry will begin on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

DMK-Congress seat-sharing agreement signed by DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai. Photo: Special Editing

The agreement confirmed the continuation of the 22-year alliance between the two parties that began in 2004, but there was a brief standoff ahead of the 2014 parliamentary elections.

The congress began with discordant notes, first demanding a share of power, then increasing the number. When he encountered a roadblock, Mr. Chidambaram was asked to negotiate on behalf of the Congress. After meeting Mr Stalin, they managed to reach an agreement with the DMK increasing its bid from 25 to 27 and finally to 28.