As AIADMK’s defers RS seat allotment, DMDK says poll ties to be made known in Jan 2026

Chennai: Apparently perturbed over AIADMK's decision to defer the allocation of a Rajya Sabha seat to it to 2026, the DMDK said it would announce its poll ties ahead of the Assembly election next year.

Stopping short of accusing the AIADMK of not honouring its commitment made before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth said the AIADMK had already allotted a seat each to Dr Anbumani Ramadoss (PMK) and G K Vasan (TMC) in the past and now it was the turn of her party to get a Rajya Sabha seat.

Playing down DMDK’s decision to make known its stand on alliance on January 9, 2026, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami told reporters in Coimbatore on June 1 that the ties between the AIADMK and DMDK were smooth and attempts to break them would not fructify.

On June 1, AIADMK Deputy General Secretary K P Munusamy announced that DMDK remained part of the AIADMK-led alliance and a Rajya Sabha seat will be allocated to that party in 2026.

On May 31, DMDK treasurer L K Sudheesh called on Palaniswami and discussed the upcoming Rajya Sabha election.

Responding to the development, Premalatha claimed the AIADMK had committed in writing that it would allot five Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat to her party during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. “This assurance was given in writing. When we asked him to specify the date, Mr Palaniswami had said the year is not usually mentioned in the letter,” Premalatha told reporters here.

She did not reveal all these details earlier, as it was the AIADMK’s duty to fulfill its commitment. “Now we will fulfill our duty by deciding on the alliance at our party meeting in Cuddalore on January 9, 2026,” Premalatha told reporters here on June 1 when sought for her reaction.

She further said that politics revolved around elections and the AIADMK had fulfilled its responsibility keeping in mind the 2026 Assembly election. “We will also do the same, as every political party acts with election in mind.” The DMDK would soon announce election-incharge for all the 234 assembly constituencies in the state and commence the poll work, she added.

The DMDK general secretary thanked Chief Minister M K Stalin and his DMK for adopting a resolution at that party’s general council meeting in Madurai on June 1 paying tributes to DMDK founder ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth who died about a year and a half ago.