Chennai, Feb 5 Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) has emerged as a crucial ally in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's early preparations for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with both sides engaged in active negotiations over seat-sharing and long-term political cooperation.
The DMK, which is seeking to consolidate its electoral arithmetic well in advance, has reportedly offered the DMDK seven Assembly constituencies along with a Rajya Sabha seat that is set to fall vacant in April.
The proposal is seen as part of the ruling party's broader strategy to strengthen its alliance base while retaining a dominant share of seats for itself.
DMDK, however, is understood to have sought a larger share, demanding up to 14 Assembly seats.
At the same time, the party has also kept its options open by engaging in parallel discussions with the NDA, adding an element of suspense to the talks.
Despite this, DMK leaders remain optimistic that an agreement will be reached soon.
The ruling party is keen on finalising alliance arrangements quickly so it can move forward with its organisational preparations. It plans to complete the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls before formally concluding seat allocations with partners.
Party sources said the DMK intends to contest at least 170 of the 234 Assembly seats, only slightly fewer than the 173 seats it contested in the 2021 elections, reflecting its confidence in defending its incumbency.
While the DMDK negotiations take centre stage, the DMK has also quietly explored other political options to widen its coalition.
Among them is expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam. Initial discussions examined whether he could float a separate outfit or align directly with the DMK.
However, assessments within the party suggested that his ability to transfer votes may be limited, reducing the urgency of such an arrangement.
Communication channels nevertheless remain open. With multiple talks underway, the DMK leadership appears focused on building a pragmatic and numerically strong alliance rather than pursuing symbolic partnerships.
The coming days are expected to determine whether the DMDK becomes a key pillar of the ruling front or charts a different political course.
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