CHENNAI: Reining in the rising demand for power share before it ruptures the party’s relationship with alliance leader DMK, the Congress high command, including de facto leader Rahul Gandhi, told the party leaders from Tamil Nadu that it would remain in the coalition and instructed them not to air their opinion on alliance-related matters.
The directions were given at an election preparatory meeting that the all India leadership convened with leaders of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) at the party's headquarters, Indira Bhavan, in New Delhi on Saturday.
According to sources, some of the leaders said the Congress should seek a higher share of seats, suggesting that the party should contest at least 40 Assembly seats – one in each Lok Sabha constituency. There was also a strong demand for power-sharing in the event of the DMK-led coalition retaining power.
Sources said some MPs suggested exploring an alliance with actor Vijay's TVK, arguing that such a move could have a positive impact on the Congress party's prospects in Kerala and Puducherry as well.
Sources told DT Next that by the end of the meeting, the Congress high command advised the Tamil Nadu unit to continue in the DMK-led alliance in the larger interest of the party's welfare and ideological commitments. The leadership reportedly told cadres to focus on the upcoming elections, adding that discussions on power-sharing would be taken up after the elections.
The meeting, chaired by All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, was convened to discuss electoral strategy, alliance dynamics, and organisational strengthening in the State. However, all eyes were on the stand that the national leadership would take on the demand from a section of leaders from Tamil Nadu that it should insist on a share in power and not merely seats.
According to sources, discussions centred on the Congress party's performance in Tamil Nadu, its role within the DMK-led alliance, and preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections. Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu reportedly raised concerns about safeguarding the dignity, identity, and organisational space of Congress cadres within the alliance.
However, emerging from the meeting, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai told the media that Rahul Gandhi instructed party leaders to maintain silence on alliance-related matters. He emphasised that no Congress member should speak publicly about alliance issues.
Selvaperunthagai also said Rahul was unhappy over some senior functionaries posting views on alliance matters on social media. The TNCC chief reiterated that the State unit would fully accept the AICC's decisions regarding alliances and constituency allocations.
The meeting was attended by senior AICC leaders, including general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and other general secretaries. From Tamil Nadu, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, senior leader and former union minister P Chidambaram, former TNCC presidents S Thirunavukkarasar and KV Thangkabalu, along with MPs Manickam Tagore, Vijay Vasanth, S Jyothimani, Karti Chidambaram, and Sasikanth Senthil, among others, attended the meeting. Several MLAs, former MLAs, and national secretaries were also present.