In a strategic move to bolster the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s presence ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin has initiated constituency-wise meetings with party administrators. In a letter addressed to party members, Stalin emphasized the importance of the “Oraniyil Tamil Nadu” (Tamil Nadu in Every Booth) membership drive, urging cadres to conduct door-to-door campaigns to enroll new members.Stalin highlighted that every family in the state has benefited in some way from the DMK government’s welfare schemes. He expressed confidence that these beneficiaries would support the continuation of the Dravidian model of governance. To capitalize on this support, he set a target for party workers to achieve at least 30% DMK membership in each polling booth.
This initiative follows the DMK’s recent general council meeting in Madurai, marking the first time in 48 years that such a meeting was held in the city. The choice of Madurai underscores the party’s renewed focus on strengthening its presence in southern Tamil Nadu. During the meeting, Stalin launched the “Oraniyil Tamil Nadu” enrollment drive, aiming to expand the party’s base by leveraging the impact of its welfare schemes.
The DMK’s strategic emphasis on grassroots mobilization and regional outreach reflects its preparation for the upcoming elections, seeking to consolidate support and ensure continued governance under its leadership.
Stalin on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the AIADMK and its alliance with the BJP, asserting that the opposition party had fully surrendered to the saffron party and that no leader, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, could rule Tamil Nadu.
Addressing the DMK’s general council meeting in Madurai, Stalin said, “No (Amit) Shah can rule Tamil Nadu.” The DMK president accused Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami of attempting to bring the entire state under the BJP’s control. According to news agency PTI, he alleged that Palaniswami was “desperate” to fulfil this goal, which is why Shah “visits Tamil Nadu often.”
Stalin urged party cadre to alert the public about the possible consequences if the BJP-led alliance were to come to power in the state. “They would stoke religion and caste-based communal violence and divide people in all manner,” he warned. “They will not allow children to get educated, there will be no industrial growth, they will destroy Tamil Nadu’s unique characteristics by imposing Hindi and by way of cultural imposition.”