Mon Nov 24 00:00:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten news article:

Summary:

A five-member Congress committee held a meeting with senior leaders of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) in Chennai to discuss seat-sharing negotiations with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for the 2026 Assembly elections. The Congress party is aiming for a “substantially higher” number of seats than the 25 they received in the 2021 elections. The committee plans to request a meeting with the DMK leadership to begin negotiations soon. Congress leaders expressed confidence in forming the next government and emphasized the importance of strengthening their cadre and presenting a united front. The party also expressed interest in prioritizing seats for younger candidates and women. An AICC representative downplayed the INDIA bloc’s recent losses in Bihar, alleging that the Election Commission influenced the results.

News Article:

Congress Begins Preparations for 2026 Tamil Nadu Elections, Seeks More Seats from DMK Alliance Partner

Chennai, India – November 24, 2025 – The Congress party has begun laying the groundwork for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, initiating discussions regarding seat-sharing arrangements with its key ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

A five-member Congress committee convened with senior members of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) at Sathyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai on Sunday to strategize for the upcoming negotiations. Sources within the party indicate that Congress is seeking a significant increase in the number of seats it will contest compared to the 2021 elections, when it was allocated 25 seats.

“This would mean that 25 seats, given in 2021, wouldn’t be acceptable to the Congress. The senior leaderships want a substantially higher number,” said one senior leader present at the meeting. The committee intends to request a meeting with DMK leaders shortly to formally commence negotiations.

Girish Chodankar, AICC in-charge of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, stated that the meeting focused on assessing the party’s strengths and weaknesses, devising an approach for the assembly elections, and coordinating with alliance partners. He expressed confidence in forming the next government in Tamil Nadu, emphasizing the need to strengthen the party cadre and present a united front. He further added that there is consideration being put into allocating seats for youngsters and women.

Addressing recent setbacks for the INDIA bloc in the Bihar Assembly polls, Chodankar claimed that the Election Commission had unfairly influenced the results, but that TN will not be affected.

While no concrete outcomes were announced, the meeting signaled the Congress party’s determination to play a significant role in the upcoming elections and secure a stronger position within the DMK-led alliance. Observers will be watching closely to see how the seat-sharing negotiations unfold in the coming weeks.

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