Expressing absolute confidence in a second consecutive term, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin declared that the DMK would secure a majority on its own in the 2026 Assembly elections. Addressing rumors of a rift with the Congress, Stalin confirmed that the alliance remains intact, describing his relationship with Rahul Gandhi as a “brotherly attachment.” However, he remained tight-lipped on whether the DMK would share ministerial berths with the grand old party if they return to power.

“The DMK-Congress alliance is strong. We will fight the elections together, but the question of power-sharing in the government does not arise now,” Stalin remarked at a media event. In the 2021 polls, the DMK won 133 out of 234 seats, forming the government independently, while the Congress won 18 seats but was excluded from the cabinet. This time, the Congress is reportedly pushing for a larger seat share and a spot in the ministry, with formal negotiations slated to begin on February 22.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA, Stalin mocked their “double engine” slogan, calling it a “dabba engine” or an empty vessel. He framed the upcoming electoral battle as a clash between “Aryan and Dravidian” ideologies, accusing the NDA of inciting communal tension and spreading falsehoods to gain a foothold in the state. Despite the BJP aligning with AIADMK and other regional players, Stalin maintained that the people of Tamil Nadu would deliver a “great disappointment” to the NDA’s divisive politics.