DMK–Congress alliance:Tamil Nadu, like West Bengal, is among the key states heading to elections this year where the Opposition remains better placed than the BJP. However, signs of friction have begun to surface within the DMK-led alliance, driven largely by a section of the Congress seeking a larger share of seats and a more substantive role in governance. The unease has been compounded by signals from actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has publicly described the Congress as its “natural ally”, as well as growing dissatisfaction within Congress ranks over the party’s inability to strengthen its organisational base in the state despite repeated electoral victories as part of the coalition.
Tensions became more visible after Congress data analytics head Praveen Chakravarty, on December 28, flagged Tamil Nadu’s debt situation as “alarming”, pointing to rising liabilities, a growing interest burden, and an unfavourable debt-to-GSDP ratio. While the DMK chose not to engage publicly with the remarks, it noted Chakravarty’s recent interaction with Vijay and maintained that any concerns should have been raised internally. Even as senior leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram reiterated the Congress’s commitment to the alliance, Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore underlined that the party’s demand for a greater role stemmed from the reality that no single party — including the DMK — was likely to secure an outright majority. Congress leaders say a delegation led by AICC state in-charge Girish Chodankar met Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on December 3 to initiate seat-sharing talks, but discussions have since stalled. Party leaders argue that finalising seat allocations early is crucial to allow senior leadership to begin campaigning in time, stressing that delays seen in past alliances, such as in Bihar, should not be repeated.
