DMK's 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' Campaign Seeks Major Voter Enrollment

Chennai: The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) embarked on a significant 45-day statewide campaign on Thursday aimed at enrolling 30 percent of voters in each polling station as party members. The initiative, named "Oraniyil Tamil Nadu" (Tamil Nadu as a single team), emphasizes creating a united Tamil populace transcending barriers like caste, religion, and politics.

Leading the charge, DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin personally initiated the membership enrolment drive in Alwarpet. Senior DMK leaders, including ministers, MLAs, and MPs, were also actively participating in similar efforts across the state, engaging directly with the public to encourage membership.

In a post on social media, Stalin stated, "Let Oraniyil Tamil Nadu win, by transcending caste, religion and politics to protect Tamil Nadu's language and honour." The Chief Minister further elaborated that for the duration of the campaign, district secretaries, MLAs, MPs, and longstanding party members would intensively involve themselves in outreach activities to galvanize public support.

During his visit, Stalin, accompanied by Health Minister Ma Subramanian, engaged with local residents, presenting questions to elicit support for the party's mission. Prominent questions included whether the populace believed in safeguarding Tamil Nadu's language, land, and honour under all circumstances. The campaign also highlighted the DMK regime's notable welfare schemes, such as the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance for women, querying if these should continue uninterrupted.

Another critical aspect discussed was whether the state should remain led by a Chief Minister resilient against external pressures, symbolized here as not bowing before "Delhi's authority." Affirmative responses were followed by invitations to join "Oraniyil Tamil Nadu," and successful enrollments were marked by placing a party sticker on the household's exterior wall.

Notable figures such as A Raja and ministers including Thangam Thennarasu, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, MRK Panneerselvam, SS Sivasankar, TRB Rajaa, C V Ganesan, R Gandhi, and P Moorthy launched and participated in the campaign within their respective constituencies.

This grassroots initiative follows Stalin's formal launch of the "Oraniyil Tamil Nadu" campaign on July 1. The comprehensive approach not only aims to strengthen party membership but also to highlight the DMK government's achievements while critiquing perceived Central government betrayals concerning the state. The overarching goal remains to unite the people in singular support for Tamil Nadu's language and cultural honour.