DMK's Organizational Revamp Aims for 200 Seats in TN Assembly
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Synopsis
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu is strategically restructuring its organization to enhance its electoral prospects for the 2026 Assembly elections, targeting to win 200 out of 234 seats. Key changes include the replacement of district secretaries to boost grassroots engagement.
Key Takeaways
- DMK restructures for 2026 elections
- Targets 200 Assembly seats
- Four district secretaries replaced
- New representatives engage with public
- Focus on outreach and welfare schemes
Chennai, Feb 15 (NationPress) The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu is currently undergoing a major organisational restructuring to bolster its influence as it gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections.
The party has set an ambitious goal of securing 200 out of the 234 Assembly seats in the state.
To improve efficiency and grassroots interaction, the DMK has replaced four district secretaries and may pursue further organisational changes.
The affected districts include Thanjavur South, Tirunelveli Central, Nilgiris, and Tiruvallur East.
In Thanjavur South, the sitting MLA and party district secretary, K. Annadurai has been succeeded by Palanivel, while in Nilgiris, former MLA B.M. Mubarak has been replaced by K.M. Raju.
In Tirunelveli Central, former minister T. P. M. Mohideenkhan has been succeeded by sitting MLA M. Abdul Wahab, and in Tiruvallur East, T. J. S. Govindarajan MLA has been replaced by M. S. K. Rameshraj.
Chief Minister and DMK President M. K. Stalin defended these modifications, asserting that the restructuring is meant to strengthen the party rather than suppress internal dissent.
He assured that the new appointments were made following thorough discussions with local leaders to guarantee the party's full readiness for the 2026 elections.
It is noteworthy that the DMK has appointed full-time representatives for each Assembly constituency who report directly to a dedicated election cell at the party's headquarters, Anna Arivalayam.
This election cell, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, includes senior leaders such as party Organising Secretary R. S. Bharathy and Ministers Thangam Thenarasu, E.V. Velu, and K.N. Nehru.
The full-time representatives are tasked with directly interacting with the public and promoting the state government's welfare schemes. Their daily reports regarding public feedback and impacts are evaluated every three days by the team led by Udhayanidhi Stalin, which collects insights with the assistance of a professional data analysis team.
To measure the effectiveness of its outreach, the DMK is conducting monthly opinion polls in partnership with renowned national agencies.
The party is particularly concentrating on constituencies where the opposition, including AIADMK and PMK, demonstrated strength in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, even though they did not secure any seats.
The DMK has pinpointed Western and Northern Tamil Nadu as priority regions, historically known as strongholds of the AIADMK and PMK.
The DMK leadership is intensifying efforts to ensure that government welfare schemes reach every household, aiming to consolidate voter support in these areas.
A senior party leader confirmed that the DMK is leaving no stone unturned in its preparations for the 2026 elections.
