CHENNAI: The anger and frustration over the setback in the recently concluded Assembly election have come closer home for DMK president MK Stalin, with many within the party criticising his son-in-law Sabarisan Vedamurthy and his political consulting and communications firm, PEN, for the debacle.
Taking note of the allegations, Sabarisan issued a statement on Monday stating that he was willing to accept criticisms but also insisting that the outcome cannot be blamed on merely one factor.
During the review discussions held by the party leadership, several functionaries reportedly blamed the Populus Empowerment Network (PEN) team, which spearheaded the party’s electoral strategy and candidate selection, alleging that campaign decisions taken by the firm affected the DMK’s grassroots connect.
In a statement on Monday, Sabarisan said criticism and public scrutiny were natural in a democracy and should be welcomed.
However, referring indirectly to the DMK’s electoral setback, he said reducing a large political outcome to a single narrative would not reflect reality. “Oversimplifying a large political outcome into one narrative is not useful because it does not reflect reality,” he said.
The firm was created with the intention of strengthening political communication, engaging with people digitally, and introducing modern outreach methods into public and political engagement, Sabarisan said.
“Following the footsteps of former chief minister MK Stalin, PEN is committed to listening deeply and understanding our shortcomings honestly,” he said.