CHENNAI: The Dravidian majors, the DMK and the AIADMK, have allotted half of the Rajya Sabha seats from their kitty to their alliance partners, even though those parties do not have sufficient strength in the Assembly to win on their own, in a sign of appeasement to cement ties, taking priority over legitimacy.
The ruling DMK has allotted two of the four Rajya Sabha seats it can secure to alliance partners, the Congress and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam. While the DMDK currently has no representation in the Assembly, the Congress has 18 MLAs, which is insufficient to secure a Rajya Sabha seat independently.
Under the existing formula, a candidate requires the support of about 33 MLAs to win a Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu. Based on their Assembly strength, the DMK can secure four RS seats on its own with 132 seats. The AIADMK can secure two seats with the support of about 62 MLAs.
Despite having the numbers to win all four seats independently, the DMK decided to allocate two seats to its allies as part of its electoral strategy ahead of the forthcoming Assembly election. The move also helped the ruling party bring the DMDK into its alliance fold.
Political observers say sharing Rajya Sabha seats has often been used by the Dravidian majors as a strategic tool to manage alliances.
By offering representation in the Upper House, the leading parties are able to attract new allies or reduce pressure from partners seeking a larger share of Assembly seats during seat-sharing negotiations.
In the previous Rajya Sabha elections held in 2016 and 2019, the DMK had not shared its seats with alliance partners, apparently, since the Assembly poll pressure was on the leading Dravidian parties; though AIADMK gave a written assurance to DMDK to offer one RS seat, a promise reneged on, which was also one of the reasons for Premalatha's present-day stance joining Stalin-led alliance.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the party was aware that sharing half of the seats with allies would marginally reduce its strength in the Upper House, but added that such a move would help consolidate the alliance.