<p>Chennai: Even as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a> awaits with bated breath for the April 23 assembly election results, the Congress on Wednesday said the party cannot be a “neutral player” in the state anymore and that it has to be either part of the government or sit in the opposition benches. </p><p>AICC in-charge <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/girish-chodankar">Girish Chodankar</a> revived the demand for sharing power in the event of the DMK coming to power saying the party did raise the issue during the seat-sharing negotiations and it was waiting for the results to be declared to take a decision. </p><p>“…definitely we will have to take our political positioning in Tamil Nadu. We cannot be a neutral player anymore there. We have to be either in the government or we have to be in in the opposition. We have to decide and without which we will not able to grow our party in Tamil Nadu,” Chodankar told a news agency. </p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026| Key battles to watch out for: EPS seeks re-election from Edappadi for fifth time.<p>The comments assume significance in the wake of serious differences between the Congress and DMK over sharing of seats for the April 23 assembly elections. The alliance came to the brink and it was saved only due to the intervention of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, who insisted that the DMK-Congress alliance should not break over a few seats. </p><p>Though the two parties contested the elections together, the tensions continue to remain as Congress’ Rahul Gandhi did not campaign jointly with DMK President M K Stalin – they both called each other brother in the past. Gandhi campaigned separately for Congress candidates in six locations in the state. </p><p>It is said that Gandhi is upset with the DMK for not allotting enough number of seats to the Congress. It was also believed that Gandhi and his close aides wanted to explore an alliance with actor Vijay’s TVK. </p><p>“We are actually in the revival mode. Party has already started strengthening its grass root level organizations like booth committees or village committees and all. Everyone wants Tamil Nadu Congress to be reorganized, and strengthened so that our grass root level leaders contest various elections,” Chodankar added.</p><p>The party is contesting 28 seats this election.</p>
<p>Chennai: Even as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a> awaits with bated breath for the April 23 assembly election results, the Congress on Wednesday said the party cannot be a “neutral player” in the state anymore and that it has to be either part of the government or sit in the opposition benches. </p><p>AICC in-charge <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/girish-chodankar">Girish Chodankar</a> revived the demand for sharing power in the event of the DMK coming to power saying the party did raise the issue during the seat-sharing negotiations and it was waiting for the results to be declared to take a decision. </p><p>“…definitely we will have to take our political positioning in Tamil Nadu. We cannot be a neutral player anymore there. We have to be either in the government or we have to be in in the opposition. We have to decide and without which we will not able to grow our party in Tamil Nadu,” Chodankar told a news agency. </p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026| Key battles to watch out for: EPS seeks re-election from Edappadi for fifth time.<p>The comments assume significance in the wake of serious differences between the Congress and DMK over sharing of seats for the April 23 assembly elections. The alliance came to the brink and it was saved only due to the intervention of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, who insisted that the DMK-Congress alliance should not break over a few seats. </p><p>Though the two parties contested the elections together, the tensions continue to remain as Congress’ Rahul Gandhi did not campaign jointly with DMK President M K Stalin – they both called each other brother in the past. Gandhi campaigned separately for Congress candidates in six locations in the state. </p><p>It is said that Gandhi is upset with the DMK for not allotting enough number of seats to the Congress. It was also believed that Gandhi and his close aides wanted to explore an alliance with actor Vijay’s TVK. </p><p>“We are actually in the revival mode. Party has already started strengthening its grass root level organizations like booth committees or village committees and all. Everyone wants Tamil Nadu Congress to be reorganized, and strengthened so that our grass root level leaders contest various elections,” Chodankar added.</p><p>The party is contesting 28 seats this election.</p>