DMK Seeks Separate Lok Sabha Seating After Split with Congress

Chennai, May 2026 : The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has formally requested a separate seating arrangement for its Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha following the breakdown of its alliance with the Indian National Congress after the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an independent seating block for DMK MPs in the House. In her communication, Kanimozhi stated that the political relationship between the DMK and Congress had changed significantly after the alliance ended, making the existing seating arrangement unsuitable.

She urged the Speaker to take the necessary steps to allot separate seating for the DMK Parliamentary Party to enable its MPs to function independently and effectively during parliamentary proceedings.

The request comes amid dramatic political developments in Tamil Nadu following the recently concluded Assembly elections. The Congress had contested the elections as part of the DMK-led alliance. However, after the results produced a fractured mandate, the party extended support to actor-politician Vijay and his Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), which emerged as the single largest party.

The Congress decision triggered sharp criticism from DMK leaders, who accused the national party of abandoning its ally at a crucial political juncture. Senior DMK figures described the move as a betrayal, and the issue reportedly dominated discussions during meetings of newly elected DMK legislators and party office-bearers.

Political observers view the demand for separate seating in Parliament as more than a procedural matter. The move is being seen as a symbolic assertion of political distance between the two parties, which had maintained a long-standing alliance in both Tamil Nadu and national politics over the years.

Analysts believe the development could have wider implications for opposition unity at the national level, particularly as regional parties begin reassessing their alliances and strategies ahead of future parliamentary elections.

So far, neither the Congress leadership nor the Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued an official response to Kanimozhi’s request. However, parliamentary sources indicated that the Speaker’s office is expected to review the matter in accordance with House procedures and seating norms before taking a decision.

The latest developments underline the rapidly changing political landscape in Tamil Nadu, where new alliances and shifting loyalties are reshaping both state and national political equations.