Puducherry assembly polls 2026: Seat battle intensifies as Congress eyes larger share - why DMK could resist

NEW DELHI: Tension simmers in the Congress-DMK alliance as high-stakes seat-sharing talks intensify ahead of Puducherry's assembly elections on April 9. The two parties are clashing over turf in the union territory's 30 directly elected seats.Also Read: Rift widens in ruling, opposition fronts in Pondy; AINRC chief skips alliance meetIn 2021, Congress claimed 14 seats and DMK 13, with two junior allies splitting one each and an independent rounding out the pact. This time, Congress is aggressively pushing for 21 seats — leaving just nine for DMK — which has countered with a demand for 15. As the talks continue, here's a look at how the alliance has performed in past elections.Alliance's rollercoaster pastThe duo first teamed up in 2006, five years after clashing in rival fronts. They fielded 16 (Congress) and 11 (DMK) candidates, handing three to junior allies, and swept to power.They repeated the formula in 2011 (17 Congress, 10 DMK) but lost to the AINRC-AIADMK combine. By 2016, they went all-in on all 30 seats (21 Congress, 9 DMK) and reclaimed victory. Yet 2021 brought heartbreak: AINRC-BJP triumphed, despite the alliance's united front. DMK's 2021 performance gives it leverage — snagging six seats to Congress's mere two, earning the Leader of the Opposition post for the MK Stalin-led party. Why DMK could push backWith Puducherry's 33-member assembly (30 elected, three nominated by the Centre), Stalin's team won't easily cede ground to a partner that underdelivered.Vote counting hits May 4, syncing with results from Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal—making this a pivotal multi-state showdown.Talks drag on, but the clock ticks toward polling day.