Congress changes strategy, opts for senior T.N. leader to hold seat-sharing talks with DMK

Changing its strategy, the Congress high command has decided to depute a senior Congress leader from Tamil Nadu to hold seat-sharing talks with the DMK for the upcoming Assembly elections.

Until now, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, who hails from Goa, was negotiating with the DMK as head of his party’s seat-sharing committee.

However, strains had emerged between the two parties, and the DMK had made it clear to the Congress to declare its position on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) as filing of nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections is set to end on March 5.

Sources said senior AICC leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and K.C. Venugopal, will have a virtual meeting with a Congress leader from Tamil Nadu and decided to depute him for the talks with the DMK.