DMK to commence membership drive on June 20

IANS June 14, 2025 756 views

DMK president MK Stalin has launched a major membership drive ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The initiative, named 'Udanpirappe Vaa', involves personal interactions with party workers from all 234 constituencies. Stalin is reviewing performance reports and collecting feedback to strengthen the party's grassroots structure. The drive underscores DMK's preparations to secure a dominant position in the 2026 polls.

"To reach out to the people with the achievements of the government, to defeat those who are desperate to bring down Tamil Nadu" - MK Stalin
Chennai, June 14: The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will begin its state-wide membership drive on June 20, as part of a major organisational initiative ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Key Points

1

Stalin meets grassroots workers from all 234 constituencies

2

Drive precedes DMK's Mupperum Vizha in September

3

Cadre given signed copies of Stalin’s autobiography

4

Focus on boosting INDIA bloc’s 2026 election prospects

Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin will personally meet party functionaries from all 234 Assembly constituencies as part of the programme titled ‘Udanpirappe Vaa’.

The initiative was announced by DMK organisation secretary R.S. Bharathi, who confirmed that Stalin plans to complete these constituency-level interactions before the party’s annual Mupperum Vizha celebrations scheduled for September 17.

Under this programme, Stalin will interact directly with grassroots-level party workers -- excluding district secretaries, whom he will meet separately.

The meetings are being held at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, in Chennai. The first session took place on Friday, where Stalin met functionaries from Chidambaram, Villupuram, and Usilampatti constituencies.

Sharing a message on X, Stalin wrote, “To reach out to the people with the achievements of the government, to defeat those who are desperate to bring down Tamil Nadu, and to boost the party’s robust structure -- Udanpirappe Vaa.”

The Chief Minister is being accompanied during these interactions by a panel that includes R.S. Bharathi, party spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan, joint organisation secretary Anbagam Kalai, and deputy organisation secretaries S. Austin and Thayagam Kavi.

Each meeting was originally planned to last five minutes, but several interactions were extended as Stalin engaged actively with the cadre.

According to party sources, Stalin came prepared with detailed performance reports of each functionary, which formed the basis for his questions and discussions. He also sought suggestions and feedback to strengthen preparations for the 2026 Assembly polls.

In a notable gesture, each participant received a signed copy of Stalin’s autobiography ‘Ungalil Oruvan’ during the meeting. An ‘opinion box’ has been placed at the venue to collect written feedback from those who wish to share ideas or concerns they were unable to voice during the meeting.

“We will carefully review all the inputs we receive,” Bharathi said.

Stalin also reportedly enquired about the level of coordination between local functionaries and district secretaries, indicating a focus on improving intra-party communication.

The next round of meetings will resume on June 17.

Stalin is expected to be in Thanjavur on June 15 and 16 for official engagements. The DMK president has already urged party cadres to intensify efforts at the grassroots level and ensure that the INDIA bloc secures at least 200 of the 234 Assembly seats in the next state elections.

Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the DMK membership drive article:
P
Priya K.
Good to see CM Stalin taking personal interest in grassroots workers. Direct interaction with functionaries will strengthen the party's base. The autobiography gift is a nice touch - shows respect for cadres. Hope this translates to better governance too! 👍
R
Rahul S.
While the initiative looks good on paper, I hope this isn't just election gimmick. DMK should focus more on delivering promises rather than early campaigning. The 200-seat target seems ambitious when basic infrastructure in many areas still needs improvement.
M
Meena V.
As a Tamilian, I appreciate Stalin's hands-on approach. The 'opinion box' is a great idea - gives voice to shy workers. But they must ensure these suggestions are actually implemented, not just collected for show. DMK needs to walk the talk before 2026!
K
Karthik N.
Interesting strategy! Meeting workers constituency-wise shows systematic planning. The extended meeting durations prove Stalin's genuine interest. But wonder if 5 minutes per interaction is enough for meaningful discussions? Maybe quality over quantity would help more.
A
Ananya R.
The timing is perfect - starting well before elections gives enough time to address issues. Hope they focus on youth participation too. Tamil Nadu politics needs fresh energy! Also curious about what's in those 'detailed performance reports' - transparency matters.
S
Suresh P.
Good organizational move, but DMK shouldn't forget they're in power now. Membership drives are fine, but people will judge by governance. Hope they balance this political exercise with actual development work. The autobiography gift seems like self-promotion though 🤔

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