DMK–Congress Rift Surfaces in Tamil Nadu

Power-sharing demand sparks sharp exchange within INDIA alliance

January 27, 2026: A fresh political spat has erupted within the INDIA alliance in Tamil Nadu after the Congress renewed its demand for a share in state power, drawing a strong public response from the DMK. The trigger came when DMK MLA and Madurai urban district secretary G. Thalapathi criticised Congress MPs B. Manickam Tagore and S. Jothimani at a public meeting, accusing them of creating unnecessary tension by repeatedly raising the issue of power-sharing.

Thalapathi urged the DMK leadership to deny the two MPs future Lok Sabha tickets, arguing that they had benefited from alliance support but were now undermining coalition unity. He questioned the Congress’s political priorities in the state and asserted that regional leaders form the backbone of the opposition alliance. “Without the DMK, there is no INDIA bloc,” he said, crediting Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for defending Tamil identity and resisting the BJP’s expansion in the state.

The episode has highlighted emerging fault lines as Assembly elections approach and seat-sharing talks intensify among allies. While the DMK and Congress remain partners at the national level, regional equations are becoming more complex. Adding to the negotiations, actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has indicated it is seeking a respectable number of seats, with senior DMK ministers recently meeting Haasan in Chennai to discuss expectations.