DMK's Challenge to Gen Z Voters: Progress or Regression in Tamil Nadu's Political Future

New Delhi:

With Tamil Nadu's assembly election approaching in five months, the ruling DMK's Youth Wing organized a significant conference in Tiruvannamalai today. The event served both as a demonstration of political strength and as a strategic response to actor-turned-politician Vijay, whose TVK party has gained substantial support among Generation Z voters.

The DMK Youth Wing North Zonal meeting featured Chief Minister MK Stalin as a special guest. During the gathering, party youth wing secretary and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin made an indirect critique of the TVK leader, stating, "People gather to witness the rainbow as it is beautiful. But that is not permanent, whereas the rising sun is permanent and it brings brightness."

Chief Minister MK Stalin emphasized the crucial nature of the upcoming 2026 election, framing it as a decisive moment when citizens must choose between progress and regression. He remarked, "The AIADMK, which pushed Tamil Nadu backwards by a decade, will come and ask for votes by acting noble. The BJP, which has a tendency to betray Tamil Nadu, will spread its usual lies and try to create tension."

Stalin further posed the central question facing voters in 2026: whether Tamil Nadu will advance by fifty years or "surrender to those who are trying to go years backwards." He confidently asserted that "the people's answer to that question is Dravida Government 2.0."

Udhayanidhi Stalin directed criticism toward the BJP, accusing the party of attempting to establish a presence in Tamil Nadu through federal agencies including the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax department, and the Election Commission of India. He also described the AIADMK as a "slave to the BJP" that has betrayed Tamil Nadu's interests.

As Vijay's TVK party specifically targets younger voters, the DMK appears determined not to concede this demographic. Udhayanidhi Stalin addressed this competition directly, stating, "Nowadays, there is a perception that youth cannot be controlled when they gather in large numbers. But the youth of our party are well-disciplined. The crowd which has gathered here is proof for that."

He elaborated on this theme, adding, "An undisciplined crowd, even if it numbers one crore, is of no use to anyone. Nothing can be achieved without discipline. Here, what we have is a disciplined crowd, an ideological force and a strength for the entire Tamil Nadu."

The Deputy Chief Minister also responded to Union Minister Amit Shah's comment about the BJP targeting Tamil Nadu after Bihar. Udhayanidhi emphasized Tamil Nadu's unique political landscape: "The BJP could win in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and anywhere in the north. But you are doing a wrong calculation if you think you can enter Tamil Nadu easily. It won't happen... The fire of Periyar's ideology is guarding the state."