Recent meetings between Congress and DMK leaders haven't finalized seat numbers, with Congress reportedly seeking 38-45 seats, while DMK may offer around 30. Chennai: The head of the Congress party in Tamil Nadu dismissed reports of a widening rift with the ruling DMK on Friday, announcing that formal seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections will commence within a week. The comments follow a Wednesday meeting in New Delhi between DMK Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Addressing the Delhi meeting, Selvaperunthagai contrasted the optics of the alliance with those of the opposition. The alliance is entering the 2026 cycle following a successful 2021 campaign in which the DMK allotted 25 seats to the Congress.