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As the stalemate between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress over seat-sharing talks in Tamil Nadu continues, Chief Minister MK Stalin, on Wednesday, February 11, categorically ruled out the possibility of sharing power in the state. He described the demand as a “deliberate conspiracy” aimed at creating a rift within the Secular Democratic Alliance.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Chennai, Stalin said the idea of a coalition government would not work in Tamil Nadu. “We know it, and the Congress also knows it well. There are some people trying to create confusion and a rift within the alliance. It is a deliberate conspiracy. Neither the DMK nor the Congress is bothered about it,” he said.
His remarks come amid the Congress’s expressed displeasure over what it calls a delay in initiating seat-sharing talks with the committee constituted by the party’s high command. AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, said there has been no progress for the past 70 days, leaving Congress leaders and cadres anxious.
Chief Minister Stalin’s statement gains significance in the context of a January 28 meeting in New Delhi between Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, leader of the DMK Parliamentary Party, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
TNM had earlier reported in its weekly political newsletter Powertrip that the DMK had requested the Congress not to press its demand for a share in power in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the DMK has announced that it will begin seat-sharing talks with its allies from February 22.
Stalin also emphasised that beyond politics, he shares a personal bond with Rahul Gandhi. “At a personal level, I consider Rahul Gandhi my brother, and the sentiment is mutual,” he said, adding that both parties would contest the upcoming elections together.
Responding to Stalin’s remarks, Congress leader and Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore — who has been vocal about the power-sharing demand — said the people of Tamil Nadu would ultimately decide whether the state should have a coalition government or single-party rule.
“It was our (Congress’s) mistake not to implement the people’s decision in 2006,” he said in a social media post. In 2006, the DMK, led by then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, formed the government with the support of 35 Congress MLAs.
Notably, in the 2006 Assembly election, the DMK secured 96 seats and formed a minority government with outside support from the Congress, Left parties, and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
The controversy began after Girish Chodankar, who heads the five-member committee formed to negotiate seat-sharing arrangements with the DMK, responded to a question about power-sharing in the 2026 elections.
“It is not about whether we are asking for power. We will constitute a full-fledged manifesto committee and present a clear vision for Tamil Nadu. To fulfil the promises made in the manifesto, it is essential for us to be part of the government,” he said.
DMK Deputy General Secretary and Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy reiterated the party’s stand, saying Tamil Nadu has historically been governed by single-party rule. “Seeking a share in power is the Congress’s right. But there will be no coalition government here. Tamil Nadu has always had single-party rule, and the Chief Minister is firm on this,” he said.