The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will head into the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections with the support of as many as 26 alliance partners.
The party leadership has decided that the DMK itself will contest in 172 constituencies under its iconic ‘Rising Sun’ symbol while allocating the remaining seats to its allies as part of the seat-sharing arrangement, say reports. According to party sources, the decision was taken as part of the broader strategy of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which includes parties such as the Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, along with several smaller parties. Many of these allies are expected to contest on the DMKās Rising Sun symbol, a strategy that has been used in previous elections to consolidate votes and improve winnability.
The DMK leadership believes the broad coalition will help consolidate anti-BJP and anti-AIADMK votes across the state. Seat-sharing discussions with alliance partners are expected to continue in the coming weeks, with final allocations to be announced later. The party leadership has expressed confidence that the large alliance and coordinated campaign will help the DMK retain power in the state in the 2026 Assembly elections.