Senior leader of the Congress party, P. Chidambaram, on Tuesday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, holding discussions over seat-sharing arrangements with the DMK.
The meeting marked a shift in strategy, with Chidambaram stepping in for negotiations after earlier rounds of talks led by Congress state in-charge Girish Chodankar reportedly hit a roadblock.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee Chief K. Selvaperunthagai and DMK MP Kanimozhi also participated in the discussions.
Chidambaram did not speak to the media while leaving the Chief Minister’s residence. However, Selvaperunthagai later told the media that talks between the two parties would continue.
Sources earlier indicated that the DMK was likely to offer the Congress between 25 and 30 seats in the upcoming State Assembly elections, along with a possible Rajya Sabha berth. Kanimozhi had previously met senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, where, according to reports, she informally proposed 30 seats for the Congress.
Meanwhile, a section of Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu is reportedly pushing for cabinet berths if the DMK-led alliance retains power. However, the DMK is understood to be reluctant to share ministerial posts.
The seat-sharing negotiations have assumed significance amid indications that the Congress may reconsider its position in the alliance if its demands are not accommodated.
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