New Delhi: Cabinet posts, a larger share of seats to contest, and a Rajya Sabha berth figured prominently in talks between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kanimozhi, a member of the DMK’s first family, as the two allies sought to address strains in their relationship, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The meeting, held on Wednesday at 10, Janpath, was brief but frank, the sources said, with both leaders raising long-simmering points of friction. It concluded on a positive note, with an understanding that the alliance would hold despite periodic provocations from factions within both Congress and DMK.
Kanimozhi, a Lok Sabha MP, was the sole DMK representative at the meeting, which took place amid growing buzz over the Congress’s perceived warmth towards actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The chatter gathered momentum after Rahul publicly backed Vijay amid controversy surrounding his film Jana Nayagan and its tussle with the Censor Board.
“It was a candid discussion. Mr Gandhi raised the issue of power sharing, which has been demanded by a section of the Congress. Kanimozhi explained the DMK’s reasons for resisting those demands and indicated that the party was open to giving the Congress a larger share of seats,” a source said.
Among the most vocal advocates of power-sharing in Tamil Nadu has been Congress MP Manickam Tagore, the party’s Lok Sabha whip and a close associate of Rahul’s. His persistence on the issue has fuelled the perception that the demand carries the tacit approval of the Congress high command.
At the same time, another Congress leader close to Rahul, Praveen Chakravarty, has publicly praised Vijay and met the actor earlier this month, adding to speculation about a possible recalibration of alliance equations ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections due in about three months.
Several other Congress leaders in the state have struck a similar note, invoking the need for “self-respect” within the alliance.
Karur MP Jothimani, also a member of Rahul’s core group, for instance, said in a statement, “A coalition is built on principles, mutual understanding, cooperation, trust and respect. There can be no compromise on these values. As a Member of Parliament from Karur, it is my duty to protect the self-respect of the Congress party. Such disrespect cannot be easily overlooked.”
Despite the inconclusive nature of the talks, Rahul assured Kanimozhi that the Congress remained committed to its partnership with the DMK, the sources said. Kanimozhi, in turn, conveyed the DMK’s assurance that it would facilitate a Rajya Sabha berth for its ally from Tamil Nadu.
The Congress, however, is keen to contest enough assembly seats to secure such a berth on its own, without having to rely on the DMK.
In the 2021 assembly elections, the DMK won 133 of the state’s 234 constituencies, enabling it to form the government without the support of allies. The Congress was allotted 25 seats and won 18.
Kanimozhi is learnt to have indicated that the DMK was not averse to allowing the Congress to contest at least three additional seats. The Congress, however, is likely to push for as many as 42 seats, to ensure it has the minimum 34 MLAs required to elect a Rajya Sabha member independently.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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