Chennai, May 8: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has formally sought a separate seating arrangement for its Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha following the collapse of its alliance with the Congress in the aftermath of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting that DMK MPs be allotted an independent seating block in the House, citing the changed political circumstances between the two parties.
In her letter, she stated that the DMK’s political relationship with the Congress had undergone a significant shift after the end of the alliance, making it inappropriate for the party’s MPs to continue sharing the existing seating arrangement alongside Congress members in the lower house. Kanimozhi urged the Speaker to take necessary steps to provide a separate seating allocation for the DMK Parliamentary Party so that its members could effectively carry out their parliamentary responsibilities.
The development comes amid a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu following the recently-concluded Assembly elections. The Congress, which had contested the polls as part of the DMK-led alliance, later extended support to actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), after the election results produced a fractured mandate.
The move by the Congress triggered a sharp reaction from the DMK leadership, with senior party leaders accusing the national party of political betrayal. In subsequent meetings of newly elected DMK MLAs and party functionaries, the DMK openly criticised the Congress for shifting its allegiance at a crucial political moment.
The request for separate seating in Parliament is being viewed as a symbolic yet politically significant step reflecting the widening distance between the two parties, which had remained allies in both Tamil Nadu and national politics for several years. Political observers believe the development could have broader implications for opposition unity at the national level, especially at a time when regional parties are recalibrating their strategies ahead of future parliamentary contests.
Neither the Congress nor the Lok Sabha Secretariat has officially responded to Kanimozhi’s letter so far. However, sources indicated that the Speaker’s office is expected to examine the request in accordance with parliamentary procedures and seating norms in the House.
IANS
