Chennai ,25 March (H.S.):The DMK will take the lead in at least 165 constituencies in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, as the party wraps up a crucial seat-sharing agreement within its Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA). The coalition, which brings together 26 parties, has already distributed 66 seats among allies, marking a decisive step towards election readiness.

With negotiations now nearing completion, the DMK has positioned itself as the central force in the alliance, while ensuring representation for key partners. The Congress has emerged as the largest ally with 28 seats, followed by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) with 8 seats. The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have been allotted 5 seats each.

Other partners in the alliance include the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), which has secured 4 seats, and smaller allies such as the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Humanist People’s Party, with 2 seats each. Sources indicate that some allies may also contest using the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, further reinforcing alliance unity.

Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin, in a letter to party cadres, said the seat-sharing process was carried out through multiple rounds of consultations, keeping in mind both fairness and winnability. He stressed that accommodating new entrants into the alliance required careful balancing of interests.

Highlighting the government’s performance, Stalin said the DMK’s “Dravidian model” had strengthened Tamil Nadu’s development trajectory over the past five years. He also pointed to the enthusiastic response from party aspirants, noting that over 16,500 applicants participated in candidate selection interviews held earlier this month.

Urging cadre discipline, Stalin called on party workers to support all alliance candidates, regardless of party affiliation. Emphasising unity, he said the alliance would fight the elections collectively with the goal of securing a decisive mandate.

With seat-sharing nearly finalised, the DMK-led front is now gearing up for an intense campaign, projecting cohesion and governance as its core strengths.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman