Undeterred by the setback in Bihar, where it won only six of the 61 seats it contested, the Congress has toughened its position during talks with key ally DMK in Tamil Nadu during their latest meeting, sources have said.
Congress leaders said the party's Tamil Nadu alliance committee has sought one to two Assembly seats in each of the state's 38 districts and a share in power if the alliance returns to power after the elections next year. The Congress had contested 25 seats in Tamil Nadu in the 2021 Assembly poll, and won 18.
Leaders present at Wednesday's discussion say the Congress has gone nearly two decades without playing a part in the state government and now wants both acknowledgement and a defined administrative role. The committee has also urged the DMK to finalise all terms, including seat sharing, by December 15 to avoid the recurring pattern of last-minute negotiations.
The leaders said the committee told the DMK it cannot secure a comfortable victory without the party's support, given that Congress votes remain crucial in several pockets where the DMK's organisational depth is relatively thin.
The Congress formed its five-member committee on November 22 after the DMK sought clarity from the party high command. This came after speculation that sections of the state Congress were favouring an alliance with actor-politician Vijay's TVK, which has emerged as a third political force in the state, alongside the DMK- and AIADMK-led alliances.
The committee - comprising Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai, party in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Girish Chodankar, Congress Legislature Party leader S Rajeshkumar and senior leaders Nivedith Alva and Suraj Hegde - met DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and senior DMK figures to discuss the party's expectations.
Rethink After Bihar
The Bihar results weakened the broader opposition front and sharpened concerns about the Congress's national standing, and leaders said this has prompted a rethink, with the party unwilling to remain a passive junior partner in key states. The Tamil Nadu unit has told the High Command that while its presence may not be dominant, it holds meaningful pockets of influence that must translate into real bargaining power.
Other alliance partners, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Left parties, are also preparing to push for larger shares ahead of the 2026 polls.
DMK negotiators are expected to weigh the Congress demands carefully because, as the principal party, it carries the largest electoral burden and must also work to secure victories for allies.
Both the DMK and the Congress have been reassessing the TVK and Vijay's potential impact after the Karur stampede in September, in which over 40 people were killed. Vijay recently spoke to Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, adding another layer of complexity to an already complicated political equation.
