Tamil Nadu Elections: Sonia's Envoy Chidambaram Meets Stalin to Bridge Gap As Cong Demands More Seats

As the deadlock over the seat-sharing continues between the allies, former Union Minister M Chidambaram on Tuesday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Chidambaram.

The two veteran leaders are having deliberations at Stalin's Alwarpet residence in what is considered as an attempt to find a middle ground ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. However, with the DMK refusing to budge beyond 25 seats-the same number the Congress contested in 2021, the alliance remains in troubled waters.

The Congress has put forth an aggressive demand based on its analysis of the 2021 election results, seeking 20 seats out of the 40 constituencies the DMK lost last time, arguing that these are winnable if allocated to the grand old party. A Rajya Sabha berth, preferably for national spokesperson Pawan Khera, is also high on the party's wish list.

It is reported that while the party is willing to consider the Rajya Sabha request, the seat-sharing arithmetic remains a red line.

DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi has already made it clear that the party cannot wait indefinitely, pointing to the upcoming Rajya Sabha nomination deadline.

Sunday's developments had already signalled rough weather ahead. AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal had flown down to Chennai for talks with Stalin, but those discussions remained inconclusive. During that meeting, the Congress delegation handed over a sealed envelope from Sonia Gandhi to the Chief Minister, adding gravity to the negotiations.

Significantly, the contentious power-sharing demand-publicly rejected by Stalin last month-appears to have been set aside for now. Venugopal had earlier clarified that those raising the issue were speaking in their personal capacity, and warned of disciplinary action.

However, a section of Congress leaders continues to prevail upon Rahul Gandhi to explore alternatives, including actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), if the DMK remains inflexible. This sentiment gained traction during a late-night teleconference on Sunday when the Congress high command consulted its Tamil Nadu MLAs.

Anticipating friction, the DMK has built a buffer by expanding its alliance. The inclusion of the DMDK and O. Panneerselvam into the party fold is seen as strategic insulation against any potential Congress pull-out.

Meanwhile, talks with other allies are progressing. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) held its first round of discussions on Monday, demanding 12 seats, double its 2021 tally. VCK chief Thol Thirumavalasan, however, downplayed any discord, emphasising that the secular alliance's sole objective was to defeat communal forces .

With the clock ticking and both sides holding their ground, all eyes are now on Delhi and Chennai to see who will blink first in this high-stakes political drama.