MK Stalin Leads DMK Workshop to Protect Voters During Electoral Roll Revision Ahead of 2026 Tamil Nadu Elections

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin has led a high-level workshop in Chennai to prepare party functionaries for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, just one day after the Election Commission announced this process for 12 additional states including Tamil Nadu.

During the training session, Stalin emphasized that the upcoming 2026 Assembly election represents a crucial "battle to protect Tamil Nadu's self-respect and individuality." He called on party members to maintain vigilance throughout the voter list revision process, stating, "Your duty is to ensure all legitimate voters remain on the electoral rolls."

The Chief Minister alleged that opposition parties like the BJP and AIADMK lack the courage for direct electoral confrontation and instead hope to succeed by removing certain demographics through the SIR process, specifically mentioning Dalits, women, and minorities.

Stalin noted that the DMK's continuous electoral successes since 2019 have "shaken opponents," but expressed confidence about forming the government for a seventh term. "This training serves as preparation before the electoral examination. After the elections, headlines will declare: 'Dravidian Model 2.0 Begins,'" he stated.

Underscoring the significance of the 2026 elections, Stalin declared, "We must protect our soil, language, and dignity." He criticized the Central government for what he described as a "social, cultural, and economic onslaught" on Tamil Nadu through various policies including "Hindi imposition, GST, National Education Policy, NEET, and gubernatorial interventions."

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Rajya Sabha MP NR Elango addressed the workshop participants regarding strategies to enhance booth-level performance and oversee the SIR process. Speaking to NDTV, Thennarasu stated, "Our objective is to increase voter support at the booth level. Chief Minister Stalin has provided clear strategic direction, and we are confident about forming the government again to launch Dravidian Model 2.0."

Thennarasu dismissed concerns about potential electoral challenges from actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, saying, "We are not concerned about Vijay's political entry or potential AIADMK-TVK alliances. Voters will remember our administration's accomplishments."

Addressing the strategy to safeguard legitimate voters during the SIR process, Tamil Nadu's Milk and Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj explained, "Every party functionary has been instructed to ensure all eligible voters are included while preventing unauthorized additions. The DMK remains confident having fulfilled 90% of its electoral promises."

Stalin also expressed gratitude to party members for communicating the DMK's campaign against alleged "financial discrimination" by the Centre to the public. He encouraged them to continue advocating for "Tamil Nadu's rights and self-respect as nurtured by Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar."

The AIADMK has welcomed the SIR initiative, characterizing the DMK's opposition as "an excuse anticipating electoral defeat." Meanwhile, both the BJP and Election Commission have rejected accusations of voter deletion, maintaining that the SIR process aims solely to establish a "clean and accurate" electoral roll, citing its "successful implementation in Bihar with zero appeals."