Bihar verdict not to cloud talks with Congress for TN elections, says DMK

New Delhi: With political positioning for the summer elections in Tamil Nadu beginning, DMK sources have said their party would approach alliance and seat-sharing questions with the Congress with “an open mind” based on realistic assessment of “respective strengths and weakness”. It will not be seen through the prism of the Congress’ dismal electoral show in Bihar elections.

“DMK and Congress are very old and matured partners. The elections in TN can’t be linked to elections in other states, including Congress’ performance in Bihar. The DMK would approach the issue of seat-sharing with its allies, including the Congress, on basis of respective contributions, strength and weakness of every partner in TN alone”, a DMK source told ET. Barring the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the DMK and the Congress have been partners in all assembly and Lok Sabha elections since 2004.

The DMK attaches much importance to the upcoming assembly polls, the first since the death of M Karunanidhi and AIADMK chief J Jayalaithaa. It provides MK Stalin a chance to take the party back to power by riding the cyclical electoral trend of the state. To drive home how the Congress performance in LS and assembly polls varied, a DMK source said that while the Congress won eight of the nine LS seats it contested in alliance with DMK in the 2019, it could manage only 5 of the 41assembly states in the 2016, when DMK missed the chance to retain power by a whisker.


“Even after the poor Congress show in 2016, it was DMK leader MK Stalin who first declared, even before many Congress leaders, that Rahul Gandhi was the Opposition’s PM candidate and agreed to give nine LS seats to the Congress. Similarly, the Congress high command adjusted to the leadership transition in the DMK when Stalin took over the mantle from Karunandidi,” the DMK leader said. On whether the Congress may be required to settle for a lesser number of seats this time, the DMK leader said Stalin would make a formal announcement next month on the commencement of seatsharing talks among the potential allies.