K. Selvaperunthagai. File
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
The five-member committee constituted by the Congress high command to hold talks with the DMK for the 2026 Assembly elections will hold an internal meeting at the party headquarters, Sathyamurthy Bhavan, on Sunday (November 23, 2025).
The committee comprises All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Girish Chodankar, party leaders Suraj Hegde and Nivedith Alva, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai, and Congress Legislature Party leader S. Rajeshkumar.
“We will hold a meeting to chalk out the modalities for the talks with the DMK, and meet the DMK leaders next week,” Mr. Selvaperunthagai said.
Chidambaram welcomes panel
Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, in a social media post, had welcomed the formation of the committee, saying it would put an end to speculation about alliances. He was hinting at rumours that the Congress might join hands with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Mr. Chidambaram said the announcement had strengthened the unity of the INDIA bloc.
On seat-sharing
When asked whether the party would seek a larger share of seats in the elections, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said the matter would be decided at the committee meeting scheduled for Sunday.
Reiterating that the constituents of the INDIA bloc together commanded around 50% of the vote share in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said the entry of Vijay’s TVK would work in favour of the DMK and its allies in the election.
“He may secure a certain percentage of anti-incumbency votes, in addition to the support of young voters. These two factors will be advantageous for us,” he said.
Mr. Selvaperunthagai rejected the argument that the Congress’s recent inability to win elections in northern States and in Bihar would affect the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu. “The BJP, with the support of the Election Commission, removed genuine voters who would have voted for the Congress and its alliance partners. But its designs will not succeed in the southern States, particularly in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Published – November 22, 2025 02:38 pm IST
