Held at DMK’s Anna Arivalayam headquarters in Chennai, the Monday meeting brought together heavyweights like VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan and his deputy Ravikumar, facing off with DMK’s senior strategists. Analysts view this as the first concrete step toward finalizing the secular alliance’s electoral blueprint.

Insider whispers suggest VCK aims to scale up from its previous six seats to a two-digit tally. A wishlist of nearly 20 constituencies was allegedly presented, featuring their four past victories and promising new battlegrounds. This aggressive stance reflects VCK’s confidence in broadening its Dalit-focused base.

DMK, steering the ruling front, is navigating delicate negotiations across multiple partners. The party seeks equilibrium between accommodating allies and locking in surefire wins for its candidates. With the poll panel’s notification imminent, frantic preparations—from booth-level organization to star campaigner rosters—are underway statewide.

In Tamil Nadu’s cutthroat political arena, these parleys could determine whether DMK repeats its 2021 landslide or faces renewed challenges from AIADMK-BJP and NTK fronts. All eyes remain on how the numbers shake out.