‘Oraniyil’ mission under top brass watch: CM Stalin

CHENNAI: After issuing a clarion call for the 2026 Assembly polls at the Madurai general council meeting a few days ago, Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin on Saturday held a marathon three-hour-long meeting with his district secretaries, MPs, MLAs and constituency in charge to prepare for the polls.

In the virtual meeting attended by over 400 functionaries of the party, Stalin ascertained the progress of the “Oraniyil Tamil Nadu” mission launched by the DMK at the general council meeting to enrol at least 30% electorate from each constituency ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Offering suggestions to the party functionaries ahead of the “Kalam 2026” (Field 2026) programme designed by the party to reach out to the masses, Stalin was understood to have cautioned the attendees that the progress of the membership enrolment drive would be monitored by a team from the headquarters.

Likening the outreach programme to the launch of the poll campaign, Stalin also lent ears to the eight zonal heads, one of whom also briefly hinted at the internal bickerings encountered during the zonal-level consultation.

One of the five district secretaries who spoke during the virtual meeting also insisted on expanding the implementation of some flagship schemes like Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai to connect more with the voters.

A party senior who attended the meeting disclosed that Deputy Chief Minister and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin insisted on visiting people door to door, though the membership drive would be done using a mobile app. The Chief Minister has elicited the views of the functionaries ahead of his meeting with the constituency office bearers in the run-up to the LS polls.