Chennai, Feb 22 (NationPress) As the preparations for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections pick up speed, political entities are ramping up efforts to finalize candidates, solidify alliances, and finalize seat-sharing pacts.

The ruling DMK and the AIADMK have reportedly sketched out their alliance structures, while smaller parties are anticipated to clarify their stances in the near future.

In this context, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader M.K. Stalin is set to meet Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal at 8 p.m. on Sunday in Chennai.

Venugopal, arriving from New Delhi, will be accompanied by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K. Selvaperunthagai and prominent Congress leader Girish Chodankar.

The forthcoming meeting is likely to concentrate on seat-sharing arrangements between the DMK and Congress as part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which the DMK leads in the state.

As a significant ally of the DMK, the Congress had established a five-member committee last November, led by Girish Chodankar, to negotiate seat-sharing terms with its coalition partner.

For almost three months, the Congress has been urging the DMK to formally establish its own negotiation team to kick off discussions.

In response to these developments, DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan recently unveiled a seven-member seat-sharing committee chaired by party treasurer and former Union Minister T.R. Baalu, MP, to engage in talks with alliance partners.

This committee has already started discussions, beginning with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Earlier on Sunday, a five-member IUML delegation led by its leader Kader Mohideen met the DMK panel for initial discussions on seat-sharing.

Sources suggest that during his dialogue with Stalin, Congress is expected to advocate for a larger share of seats compared to what was allotted in the 2021 Assembly elections. In that election, the Congress contested 25 seats within the DMK-led alliance and won in 18 constituencies.

Furthermore, it is anticipated that Venugopal will present a list of prioritized constituencies to Stalin as part of the ongoing negotiations.

Following this meeting, additional rounds of discussions are likely to occur between the DMK's seat-sharing committee and the Congress negotiation panel to finalize the arrangement.

While the DMK had previously indicated that formal alliance discussions would commence from February 22, Sunday’s meeting indicates that negotiations have now entered a pivotal phase.

The outcome of these discussions is expected to significantly influence the final structure of the DMK-led alliance ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.