Chennai, 23 February (H.S.): The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), a prominent ally in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, has officially expressed its desire to contest the 2026 Assembly elections using its own independent symbol.

This significant development occurred during a high-level meeting between the MDMK seat-sharing committee and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) panel held at Anna Arivalayam on Monday.

While the MDMK has put forward this specific demand to maintain its unique political identity, sources indicate that the DMK leadership has not yet provided a definitive assurance or commitment regarding the request.

In the previous 2021 Assembly elections, the MDMK was allotted six seats as part of the alliance but was required to contest under the DMK's Rising Sun symbol, ultimately securing victory in four constituencies. However, the party's stance shifted during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when MDMK Principal Secretary Durai Vaiko successfully contested and won the Tiruchirappalli constituency using the party's own Matchbox symbol.

Encouraged by this successful outcome, the MDMK leadership is now determined to repeat this strategy in the upcoming state polls while remaining firmly within the alliance framework. The party believes that contesting on its own symbol is crucial for strengthening its grassroots presence and long-term political relevance in Tamil Nadu.

As seat-sharing negotiations continue, the decision on the symbol remains a critical point of discussion between the two allied parties.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary