DMK's 2026 election preparation, tasks workers to spread awareness about welfare schemes

Chennai: The DMK, aiming to win 200 out of the 234 Assembly seats in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, has directed its full-time in-charges in Assembly constituencies to focus on promoting the welfare schemes implemented by the state government under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s leadership.

The ruling DMK has appointed full-time representatives for each Assembly constituency, who report directly to an election cell headquartered at the party’s state office, Anna Arivalayam.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who also leads the party’s youth wing, heads this special election cell.

Senior party leaders, including Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathy and Ministers Thangam Thenarasu, E.V. Velu, and K.N. Nehru, serve as its members.

According to party sources, these full-timers are tasked with directly engaging with the public to highlight the impact of the state government’s welfare schemes, which aim to bring grassroots-level transformation. Several welfare schemes have been Introduced by the DMK government since assuming office in May 2021 -- free bus travel for Women, Pudhumai Penn Scheme that offers Rs 1,000 monthly financial assistance to female students who complete their education in government schools (from Classes 5 to I2) and are pursuing higher education. The scheme was extended to boys under the Tamizh Pudhalvan scheme, which provides similar assistance.

Another major initiative of Stalin was the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme which provides nutritious breakfast to students from Classes I to 5 in government schools, addressing issues of hunger and malnutrition while improving attendance and learning outcomes.

The government upgraded 25 higher secondary schools into “Schools of Excellence” for Rs 150 crore. These institutions focus on holistic education, incorporating arts, literature, music, dance, practical science, and sports.

Another prominent scheme of the state government is the constitution of Urban Health Centers with a total of 708 Urban Health Centers established across 21 municipal corporations and 63 municipalities to improve healthcare services for urban populations.

Kalaignar Women’s Honorarium Scheme of the Stalin government provides financial assistance to women from marginalized communities aiming to promote gender equality and economic upliftment.

The Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme launched in August 2021, aims to deliver healthcare services directly to people’s doorsteps, focusing on individuals above 45 years and those with infirmities. The programme emphasizes early detection and treatment of non-communicable diseases, especially in rural areas.

The Naan Mudhalvan Scheme launched in March 2022, aims to equip 10 lakh youth annually with skills to realize their potential. It includes career guidance, spoken English lessons, and training in coding and robotics.

The DMK central leadership collects daily reports from the full-timers on public responses to these schemes and their impact on individual families.

Every three days, Udhayanidhi Stalin’s team reviews these updates and gathers feedback through a professional data team. Additionally, the party conducts monthly opinion polls with credible national agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of its organisational efforts.

The DMK leadership is prioritising constituencies where the opposition showed strength during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, despite not winning any seats.

This includes focusing on Western and Northern Tamil Nadu, where the AIADMK and PMK hold influence, respectively

A senior DMK leader confirmed that the leadership is leaving no stone unturned in its preparation for the 2026 Assembly polls, ensuring that the government’s welfare schemes reach every household.