Will DMK take poll plunge in Kerala in 2026?
CHENNAI: DMK's Kerala unit has set its sights on Punalur constituency in Kerala's Kollam for the 2026 assembly elections. Party leaders in Kerala said they were confident of winning the constituency, which has a significant Tamil population.
KR Murugesan, DMK's Kerala state unit in-charge, said the party has been gaining popularity among the people in the state and they have plans to field candidates in the state's local body elections expected later this year, which will act as a precursor for the assembly election next year. 'Functionaries from other parties are willing to join DMK if we take the electoral plunge in Kerala,' he said.
The party runs units in all 14 districts of Kerala. Speaking to TNIE from Thiruvananthapuram, Murugesan said the party has appointed district secretaries and other functionaries in all the 14 districts. Except for Idukki, all the district secretaries are natives of Kerala. 'Punalur is our stronghold. Anyone in Punalur will tell you how rapidly DMK is growing there. We are active in the area, holding at least one programme a week, whether it's the birthday celebrations of Kalaignar Karunanidhi and MK Stalin or protests against the Punalur municipality over public grievances,' he said.
Murugesan wants to build a state office for DMK and install a statue of Karunanidhi in Thiruvananthapuram. As the areas under Punalur constituency, which shares the border with Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi, have a significant Tamil-speaking population, mostly working-class, DMK has been able to rally and mobilise them effectively, sources said.
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