With the ruling DMK sounding the poll bugle, its allies have started flexing their muscle to demand their pound of flesh so that they are not given a raw deal in seat share for the 2026 assembly elections.

After Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) of Thol Thirumavalavan, MP, the Marxist party has signalled that it would seek a larger share of seats from the DMK, which is heading the secular alliance. CPI(M) Tamil Nadu state secretary P Shanmugham had made it clear in an interview the other day to the party’s official daily ‘Theekathir’. Even while emphasising the need for alliance solidarity and cohesiveness, he was for equitable seat-sharing arrangement to face the upcoming assembly polls.

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“Since the late 1990s, the 2021 assembly elections were the lowest seats that the CPI(M) had contested. Though we demanded more seats, we were allotted 6 and we have accepted it since the foremost consideration then was to defeat the AIADMK-BJP. It is not that we have accepted without reservations. Such an approach should not continue any further as it is not conducive for the alliance and for the CPI cadre as well. Hence, it is beneficial for the DMK to be accommodative,” he said in response to a question in the interview, adding that enhancing the party’s strength in the assembly was a decision taken at the Party Congress in Madurai.

Since there are 10 more months to go for the elections, he urged the DMK government to fulfil the promises made to the farmers, workers, and the middle class so as to secure a massive mandate by defeating the AIADMK-BJP combine.

Earlier, the VCK too had made similar demands but maintained that it wouldn’t leave the alliance. VCK president Thirumavalavan had said that the party would press Kazhagam for more seats to contest the election, considering its increase in its support base. Affirming his secular credentials, he had rejected overtures from the AIADMK and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam of actor Vijay for an alliance.

The Congress too had been keen on getting more seats this time around. With Stalin setting a target of winning 200 seats, seat-sharing among the allies might prove to be a tough one, say analysts.