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In a clear message to ally Congress ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has ruled out the possibility of a coalition government or any power-sharing arrangement in the state.
Speaking to reporters in Dindigul on Sunday, January 11, DMK Deputy General Secretary and Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy said that Tamil Nadu has historically been governed under a single-party rule.
“Seeking a share in power is 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.
This marks the first time the DMK has publicly rejected the demand, even as calls for power-sharing within the ruling alliance have grown louder over the past few months.
A section of the Congress has been advocating for a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, arguing that, given the current political climate, no party can win elections entirely on its own.
The renewed push followed remarks by All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar, who demanded a larger role for the Congress in the state government and suggested that the DMK should allot more Assembly seats to the party in the 2026 elections.
While the DMK has consistently acknowledged that its electoral victories are the result of a strong alliance, it has resisted any move towards a coalition government. Party leaders have repeatedly stressed that Tamil Nadu’s political history and governance model are rooted in single-party rule.
Notably, the demand for power-sharing is not unanimous among the DMK’s allies. Parties such as the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) have not pressed for a coalition government, unlike the Congress.
Notably, the demand for power sharing is not unanimous even among other allies of the DMK. Parties such as the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) have not pressed for a coalition government, unlike the Congress.
Even within the Congress, there are differing views. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai, for instance, has not aggressively pursued the demand.