In the run‑up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, political dynamics have shifted as the Indian National Congress has benefitted significantly from the emergence of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on the state’s political landscape, according to senior AIADMK leader K A Sengottaiyan.
Sengottaiyan claimed that although the Congress remains in alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), its negotiating strength during seat‑sharing talks was boosted because TVK’s presence altered the electoral calculations. He alleged that the Congress effectively used the threat of shifting alliances — including a potential tie‑up with TVK — as leverage to secure additional Assembly seats from the DMK.
Under the final agreement signed on March 4, the DMK‑Congress alliance, part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), granted Congress the opportunity to contest 28 Assembly constituencies and allocated one Rajya Sabha seat, an increase from the 25 seats it contested in the 2021 polls. The deal was formalised after negotiations between DMK chief M K Stalin and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai.
Sengottaiyan emphasised that TVK’s growth not only brought public attention to alternative political options but also created tactical openings for the Congress to strengthen its negotiating position within the SPA. This development reflects how emerging regional forces like TVK are reshaping alliances and influencing strategy in the lead‑up to Tamil Nadu’s critical elections.