Backchannel diplomacy: How DMK and Congress bridged the divide

Just when the DMK-Congress alliance was on the edge, behind-the-scenes role played by DMK parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram helped break the ice between the leadership of the two parties. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also played a pivotal role in retaining the front.

On Tuesday (March 3, 2026), the prospects brightened for striking a deal and jointly facing the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, when Congress veteran P Chidambaram was deputed to hold a meeting with DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Sources said though the two leaders had begun building bridges a few days earlier, the breakthrough was achieved when the AICC high command in New Delhi arranged a telephonic conversation with Congress MLAs in Tamil Nadu to elicit their views on continuing the alliance with the DMK. Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal spoke to the MLAs on Monday (March 2, 2026) night.

“Most of them were in favour of continuing the alliance with the DMK. Even those who have a difference of opinion said the high command could take the final call,” a source said.

Simultaneously, efforts were made to rope in former Union Minister P. Chidambaram as a negotiator as talks previously held with the DMK by AICC Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar had not progressed well. Sources said Mr Chidambaram agreed to play the role, but on one condition: he preferred a one-on-one meeting with Mr Stalin.

Before setting out to begin the negotiations, Mr Chidambaram held a virtual meeting with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. “From the beginning, Ms Sonia Gandhi has been in favour of continuing the alliance with the DMK,” sources said.

The DMK had earlier stuck to its offer of 25 seats and one Rajya Sabha seat, but Mr Chodankar had categorically said the offer was not acceptable to the Congress.

The Congress now hopes Mr Chidambaram, through his personal rapport with Mr Stalin, will be able to bring the stalemate to an end. “The Chief Minister may increase the number by a few seats. But we do not believe we will get two Rajya Sabha seats, because the DMK has to allot one seat to the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK),” a source said.

As the filing of nominations for the biennial Rajya Sabha election ends on March 5, the DMK is also keen to conclude the negotiations swiftly. “The application form itself runs to 50 pages. We have a lot of formalities to complete before filing the nomination,” a Congress leader said.