"Cut the cake and share it": Karti Chidambaram on DMK-Congress talks

Seat-Sharing a 'Complex' Negotiation

Amid ongoing seat-sharing discussions between the Congress and the ruling DMK ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Sunday emphasised that allocating seats in a coalition was complex and required careful negotiation. He used the metaphor "cut the cake and share it" to describe how seats are distributed among coalition partners. In an interview with ANI, Chidambaram noted that the DMK has been an ally since 2004 and announced that a committee to discuss seat-sharing will be formed on February 22. He added that expectations are high, smaller parties may join the coalition, and some are "flirting on both sides", keeping their options open with other political groups.

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"The alliance with the DMK has been there since 2004. The DMK has now announced that the committee will be formed on February 22. That is not something I am going to sit here and decide over a table of dry fruits. There are 234 seats. You have to cut the cake and share it among all parties within the coalition. We'll have to see whether new partners are coming in. People have contested a certain number of seats the last time. Of course, everybody's expectation is always high. But within this formation, there might be some smaller parties which might join. There are a few parties which are flirting on both sides as well," he said.

Congress Stresses Right to Power-Sharing

This comes after Congress MP Manickam Tagore referred to a remark by Tamil Nadu Minister Raja Kannappan, who predicted DMK could win 160 seats while contesting 170 constituencies in the state elections. He stressed that power-sharing is essential and that a share in governance is the party's right, adding that the people would ultimately decide.

The Tamil Nadu assembly has 234 seats, of which the Secular Progressive Alliance, led by DMK, won 159 in the 2021 elections. The DMK alone contested 173 seats and won 133. Meanwhile, the Congress contested 18 of 25 seats and won 12.

Leaders Assure Smooth Negotiations

On Saturday, Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai stated that alliance talks with DMK are set to begin on February 22, asserting that the INDIA bloc remains united despite BJP efforts to divide the vote bank.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday assured DMK cadre that he "will take care" of the seat-sharing arrangements with its allies for the state's assembly elections. (ANI)