Cong likely to slip away from the DMK alliance: EPS

Coimbatore, Jan 17: AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has claimed that the Indian National Congress is poised to drift away from its long-standing alliance with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Addressing a Pongal outreach event in his native district of Salem, the Leader of the Opposition said mounting disagreements between the DMK and Congress over power-sharing and seat negotiations signal cracks in the ruling coalition. He asserted that the Congress is “all set to slip away” from the alliance due to these unresolved issues, which he views as evidence of the DMK’s weakening hold on the state’s political front.

Palaniswami criticised the DMK for reportedly rejecting Congress demands for a greater share of power and seats, suggesting that such friction could push the party toward a political exit. He framed the situation as part of a broader narrative of public dissatisfaction with the DMK government, claiming that various sectors of society — including teachers, farmers and workers — are protesting, and that this “growing unrest” could further strain alliance unity.

Despite his claims, leaders from both the DMK and Congress have downplayed the notion of a breakup. Recent statements by DMK leaders reaffirm the party’s intent to maintain its alliance with Congress partners, emphasising that differences over seats and power sharing are being discussed within the coalition framework and will be resolved through dialogue.

A senior DMK figure, I. Periyasamy, stressed that Tamil Nadu would remain a “single-party state”—indicating no coalition government structure post-elections—and rejected the idea of a formal power-sharing arrangement with Congress, underlining the DMK’s current stance of leading the alliance without sharing executive authority.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu travelled to Delhi for strategy talks with national party leadership, amid ongoing discussions about alliance dynamics ahead of the polls. These meetings come as voices within the Congress debate how best to position the party for the 2026 elections — including questions around seat allocations and roles within the DMK-led front.

Political analysts say that speculation about alliance stability is common in the run-up to elections, especially when parties negotiate seat shares and campaign strategies. For now, both DMK and Congress leaders publicly insist that the INDIA bloc alliance remains intact, even as opposition figures highlight perceived tensions.