DMK Launches Statewide Door-To-Door Drive To Counter Vijay's Women Appeal

With actor-turned-politician Vijay stepping up his political pitch and expected to woo large sections of women voters, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has launched a focused counter - a statewide, booth-level door-to-door outreach exclusively led by women cadre.

Branded as the "Victorious Tamil Women" campaign, the drive will run from February 23 to March 8. The party has constituted 10-member women committees for every booth across Tamil Nadu, tasking them with directly engaging women voters inside their homes.

Party insiders admit the timing is significant. With actor Vijay's newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) generating buzz,  particularly among youth and women, the DMK is keen to consolidate its core support base early. While the ruling alliance remains intact and has won three consecutive elections, the party leadership is wary of any shift in the women's vote, which has been crucial to its recent victories.

During the outreach, the cadre will highlight the DMK government's women-centric welfare schemes, including free bus travel for women, the monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to eligible women, financial aid for students from government schools pursuing higher education, and the recent Rs 5,000 transfer to women beneficiaries. The party is also reiterating its poll promise to double the monthly assistance and expand working women's hostels across districts, projecting women as "partners in development".

Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin recently underscored the importance of the strategy while addressing women cadre, "You as women can speak to the women in every family, even enter their homes and win the family's support."

Senior leaders believe this micro-level, person-to-person engagement will have a higher strike rate than mass rallies, particularly in countering the emotional and celebrity-driven appeal that Vijay could command.

The sharpened outreach also unfolds amid alliance dynamics, with the Congress pressing for a share in power if re-elected.