DMK – Kanimozhi Leads Key Manifesto Talks as Alliance Negotiations Continue
DMK – The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has begun formal preparations for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with senior party leader and Member of Parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi chairing a meeting of the party’s Election Manifesto Committee in Chennai on Wednesday.
The meeting was held at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, and focused on early groundwork related to policy priorities and alliance coordination ahead of the polls. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kanimozhi provided clarity on the status of alliance discussions and addressed recent developments in Parliament.
Alliance discussions with Congress still in progress
Kanimozhi said that talks with the Congress party are ongoing and described the discussions as part of a structured process rather than a finalized arrangement. She made it clear that no decisions have yet been taken on seat-sharing or constituency allocation between alliance partners.
According to her, the responsibility of determining the number of constituencies allotted to each party lies with the alliance negotiation committee. She emphasized that such matters are handled through formal channels and not through preliminary discussions. Kanimozhi also noted that any decision regarding the inclusion of additional parties in the alliance would be officially communicated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Her remarks underline the DMK’s effort to present a united and coordinated approach while allowing negotiations to progress without public speculation.
Election context in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is expected to go to Assembly elections in the first half of the year, though the Election Commission of India has not yet announced the official schedule. Political parties across the state have begun internal preparations, including strategy meetings and alliance consultations, in anticipation of the announcement.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK-led alliance secured a clear majority. The DMK alone won 133 seats in the 234-member Assembly. Its allies also made notable gains, with the Congress winning 18 seats, the Pattali Makkal Katchi securing five seats, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi winning four seats, and other smaller parties accounting for eight seats.
The current discussions are seen as part of the DMK’s effort to retain alliance cohesion and build on its previous electoral performance.
Strong criticism of Lok Sabha suspensions
Apart from election-related matters, Kanimozhi also commented on developments in Parliament, strongly criticising the suspension of opposition members from the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session.
She described the suspension of Members of Parliament as unacceptable and raised concerns about the manner in which parliamentary procedures were being enforced. Her remarks came a day after eight opposition MPs were suspended for the remainder of the session.
Background on the parliamentary incident
The suspended MPs were penalised following disruptions in the House, during which papers were allegedly thrown toward the Speaker’s chair. The incident occurred amid protests over demands by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to include specific references to the 2020 standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh during parliamentary discussions.
Those suspended include Congress MPs Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Dean Kuriakose. CPI(M) MP S Venkatesan was also among those suspended.
Opposition parties have argued that the action was excessive and limited their ability to represent their constituencies during a crucial legislative session.
Focus remains on political and parliamentary strategy
Kanimozhi’s comments reflect the DMK’s dual focus on state-level electoral planning and national parliamentary issues. As alliance talks continue and election preparations gather pace, the party leadership has signaled that decisions will follow established procedures and be communicated through official channels.
With the election timeline expected to be clarified soon, political activity in Tamil Nadu is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.