Eyeing polls, DMK goes full steam ahead to galvanise cadres

The interactive sessions, which began at the party headquarters here on February 1 and would go on till March 22, aim at galvanising workers, ahead of civic polls expected to be held this year.

Local body polls are likely after conclusion of delimitation and post-delimitation processes that are underway.

According to a senior DMK leader "the situation in Tamil Nadu is such that state assembly election may be called early" alongside the Parliamentary polls next year, besides the expected civic polls.

The view that early Assembly election is a possibility, stems from the ongoing bickering between the ruling AIADMK and its sidelined leader TTV Dinakaran, and the perceived political instability.

Dinakaran's 18 loyalist MLAs were disqualified from the Assembly last year and the matter is pending in Madras High Court. Depending on the outcome of the case and its implications, there can be early Assembly election if the ruling party cannot muster a majority.

Under such circumstances, making appropriate corrections to the party apparatus, wherever needed, assumes significance, he told PTI, adding DMK's working president M K Stalin is determined to take remedial action, based on the feedback of cadre at the interactive sessions.

Chaired by Stalin, the almost two-month-long interactive sessions with functionaries, from village panchayat-level secretaries to district secretaries also comes close on the heels of top two film stars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan announcing their political entries.

The DMK today named a 16-member panel, headed by senior functionary N R Elango, to look into the grievance petitions of cadre and it will submit a report to Stalin.

A box named 'Theervu Kanum Petti,'(Box to resolve issues) has been kept at the venue of the meeting to encourage party workers to submit their grievances. The panel would look into those petitions.

After a membership enrolment-cum-renewal drive a few days ago, the total membership of the party crossed the 'one-crore' mark, according to provisional estimates, the party leader said, adding, "A significant chunk of the new members, running into lakhs, are youth."

Asked about specific steps to strengthen the party, the senior leader said it was an ongoing process monitored by Stalin and feedback from cadre would be a key factor in this regard.

About strengthening the party in the Western Kongu region, he said the DMK would hold its Coimbatore zonal conference at Erode on March 24 and 25.

During the first 10 days of the interactive sessions, the DMK leadership is focusing on the western region, known in the state as 'Kongu nadu', which includes Erode, Tirupur and Salem, where the ruling AIADMK is comparatively much stronger.

Then, they would focus on cadre from districts, including Tiruchirappalli and Ariyalur districts in central Tamil Nadu, following which workers from other districts would attend the sessions.

DMK has asked its cadre participating in these sessions to attend the meet with a "minute-book" to record the deliberations.

During the meeting, Stalin has been telling the cadre to sink their differences, if any, and work hard to catapult DMK to power in Tamil Nadu. He also has food with them and encourages one-on-one discussions.

The DMK working president has also told the district and union-level office bearers to be sensitive to the views of grass-root level workers and it would go a long way in the party's growth.