Insider accounts indicate DMK wants to replicate the 2021 arrangement: 25 seats for Congress in the assembly and a Rajya Sabha nomination. Congress, however, is holding out for 35 assembly seats, arguing its growing footprint and performance warrant the increase.

The snag complicates matters for DMK, leading a broader alliance that has onboarded fresh parties, each clamoring for representation. Allocating extra seats to Congress could strain resources and alienate smaller partners, forcing DMK into a tightrope walk.

Hints of Congress exploring alternatives have surfaced if the 35-seat ask falls through, adding urgency to the negotiations. Tamil Nadu’s political arena is glued to these developments, as the outcome could dramatically alter pre-poll alignments.

Historically, this DMK-led front swept to power in 2021, but sustaining momentum requires ironclad unity. Failure here might embolden opposition forces, turning a routine alliance haggling into a game-changer for the state’s future governance.