The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee has clarified that it will not engage in a bargain for seat-sharing with its alliance partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for the state Assembly election 2021. The Congress also said that the alliance with DMK is time-tested and that its recent performance in Bihar will not affect the seat-sharing ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. The Congress is part of DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu. The clarification comes amid speculations that the poor performance of the Congress party in the recent Bihar Assembly election will affect the seat-sharing talks in Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu in-charge of All India Congress Committee (AIC) Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "The efforts are on to zero in on the constituencies for the Congress to contest from, in alliance with DMK. There is also discussion on putting forth a good candidate for the constituencies." The Congress is looking into the ground realities of each constituency and more than anything else, “our aim is to make our alliance win the polls,” Dinesh Gundu Rao added.
The Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) was formed in 2004 by the former DMK President and later Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. During the Assembly elections in 2014, DMK revived DPA, with Congress as a major alliance partner. The DPA now consists of Congress, CPI (M), CPI, MDMK, Indian Union Muslim League, Viduthalai Chiruthaigak Katchi, Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi and Indiya Jananayaka Katchi.
Amid speculations that the Congress will be at a disadvantage to bargain for seats in the upcoming elections following its non-performance in the Bihar Assembly polls, he said, "The performance in Bihar polls will not affect us. The political field in Tamil Nadu is different. Our alliance with DMK was already tested. Just like how we contested the Parliamentary elections, we will contest the Assembly elections.” The party had won only 19 out of the 70 seats it contested in Bihar.
The Congress representative is also hopeful that the alliance will emerge with a big win in the state, unlike Bihar. "In Bihar, our alliance lost but in Tamil Nadu, the Democratic Progressive Alliance will win and the support of people will continue,” said Dinesh Gundu Rao.
He also said that the party will help DMK with close contests in 100 constituencies.
The statement from Congress also comes at a time when there is a popular opinion that the alliance with the Congress could cost more for the DMK party. A source close to DMK also told TNM that the Congress will receive lesser constituencies than the last assembly election, irrespective of the performance in Bihar election.