DMDK joins DMK-led SPA ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, Congress uneasy over seat-sharing calculus

In a boost to the ruling Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), the DMDK has joined the coalition - a setback for the AIADMK-led NDA but also seen within the SPA as a DMK move to keep the Congress in check.

The development comes ahead of the March Rajya Sabha elections, with six seats from Tamil Nadu at stake. The DMK holds four and the Congress had been pressing for one berth, alongside demands for a larger Assembly seat share.

The DMK has reportedly promised a Rajya Sabha seat to DMDK leader Premallatha Vijayakant - a key factor in the party's switch. Sources say the DMDK has also been assured a few Assembly seats, including segments within the Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency, where Premallatha's son narrowly lost to Congress' Manickam Tagore in 2024.


While TNCC president K. Selvaperunthagai welcomed the move, some Congress leaders have continued to criticise the DMK government. Praveen Chakravarty questioned the electoral impact of the Stalin government's ₹5,000 assistance scheme for women, arguing that cash transfers alone do not guarantee victory. Despite the undercurrents, sources indicate the alliance remains intact.