Tamil Nadu Assembly election: CPI (M) unrelenting in demand for six seats, stalemate in talks with DMK continues

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) remains unrelenting successful its request for six Assembly seats successful Tamil Nadu, though the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is prepared to connection lone five.

Even aft 3 rounds of talks, the 2 parties person been incapable to scope an agreement, arsenic the CPI(M) State committee has taken a steadfast basal against settling for 5 seats. “We person conveyed the determination of the State committee to the DMK leadership,” a CPI(M) person said connected Thursday (March 19, 2026).

He added adjacent during the erstwhile election, the DMK had indicated that it would connection much seats successful the adjacent election. “But that has not happened. We are answerable to the State committee, not to immoderate individual. The DMK plans to contention successful astir 170 seats; it could reconsider its allocation,” the person said.

The DMK’s statement is that it cannot portion with much seats arsenic it has accommodated further parties successful the confederation and has already fixed 3 much seats to the Congress. It has allotted lone 5 seats to the Communist Party of India, which had contested six seats successful the 2021 Assembly elections.

The DMK is keen connected finalising its pact with the CPI(M) earlier proceeding with talks with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). The VCK, which was allotted six seats successful 2021, is apt to beryllium fixed a mates more, portion the DMDK has already been allotted a Rajya Sabha seat. The enactment is present demanding a double-digit fig of Assembly seats, but the DMK has asked its person Premallatha Vijayakant to standard down the demand.

The DMK enactment does not privation to make a concern successful which it would beryllium reduced to a number successful the Assembly, arsenic happened successful the 2006 elections. At that time, it depended connected the Congress and the PMK for support, and the precocious J. Jayalalithaa often referred to it arsenic a “minority DMK government.”