TVK alliance gives Congress Rajya Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu

The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) alliance has allotted a Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu to its ally, the Indian National Congress, ahead of a by-election scheduled for June 18. The seat fell vacant after AIADMK leader C. Ve. Shanmugam resigned from the Upper House following his election to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the Mailam constituency.

Chief Minister and TVK president C. Joseph Vijay confirmed the allocation in a statement on Wednesday, describing it as part of the seat-sharing arrangement within the TVK-led alliance in the state. The announcement followed a meeting between Vijay and a Congress delegation led by the party’s Tamil Nadu in-charge, Girish Chodankar, at the state secretariat in Chennai. Chodankar told reporters afterward that he had requested the seat to strengthen his party’s presence in Parliament. Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram also met with Vijay in Chennai earlier this week, with sources indicating the discussions focused on alliance coordination.

With the TVK as the single largest party in the state assembly and the support of allied legislators, the Congress candidate is expected to...