'26% vs 8%': Congress MP pushes for leading alliance in Puducherry - will DMK concede?
Times of India
by KARAN MANRALFebruary 21, 2026
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Puducherry, a Union Territory in Tamil Nadu, is gearing up for elections in April, with tensions rising between the Congress and its ally, the DMK. The conflict centers around the Congress's demand for leadership of their electoral alliance in Puducherry, following growing political friction in Tamil Nadu. Manickam Tagore, a senior Congress leader and close confidant of Rahul Gandhi, has been spearheading this push, arguing that the party deserves to lead based on its historical dominance and past performance. His recent social media post highlighted the Congress's 26% vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha election compared to the DMK's 8%, questioning why the DMK should dictate terms.
Puducherry has long been a bastion of Congress influence, with seven out of ten chief ministers hailing from the party. The UT's lone Lok Sabha seat has also largely favored the Congress, which has won it in 11 out of 15 general elections since 1967. This historical dominance gives the Congress significant political clout and a strong stake in Puducherry's upcoming polls. Tagore's demand for leadership reflects the party's broader strategy to reclaim its influence in the region, especially as the DMK's rising assertiveness threatens to overshadow Congress's traditional role.
The conflict is further fueled by recent developments in Tamil Nadu, where the DMK currently governs independently despite its alliance with the Congress. A visit by DMK's election in-charge, S Jagathrakshakan, to Puducherry without meeting Congress leaders was seen
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/21/2026