Political activity in Tamil Nadu has intensified significantly as major parties begin their formal preparations for the crucial 2026 state assembly elections. The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has taken a decisive step by constituting a high-powered committee to draft its election manifesto.
DMK's Early Move: Manifesto Committee Takes Shape
On Wednesday, the DMK established a 12-member panel to prepare its vision document for the 2026 polls. The committee is being led by the party's influential Member of Parliament, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. The panel includes senior ministers Govi Chezhiaan, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, and T R B Rajaa. It also features former MPs T K S Elangovan and M M Abdullah, along with MLAs N Ezhilan and Tamizharasi Ravikumar. Retired IAS officer G Santhanam is also part of this core group.
This committee has been tasked with a comprehensive mission: to travel across the state and gather insights, opinions, and demands from various sectors and stakeholders. Their findings will form the backbone of the party's election promises. Furthermore, the DMK leadership plans to set up a separate panel of senior leaders by the end of December. This second group will be responsible for negotiating with alliance partners to finalize seat-sharing arrangements, aiming to start ground-level election work early.
Alliance Chessboard: Key Meetings Scheduled
Anticipating a multi-cornered contest, other significant players in Tamil Nadu politics are also fine-tuning their strategies. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), led by S Ramadoss, will hold its general council meeting on December 29. Similarly, T T V Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) has scheduled its council meeting for January 5. Both meetings aim to authorize the respective leaderships to make final decisions on electoral alliances.
Sources indicate that PMK is exploring potential tie-ups with both the DMK and the principal opposition, the AIADMK. On the other hand, AMMK is reportedly in discussions with actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for an electoral pact. In a related development, O Panneerselvam, leader of the AIADMK cadres' rights retrieval kazhagam, is set to make a major announcement regarding alliances on December 23. He will make this announcement at the MGR memorial on Marina beach in Chennai, on the eve of former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran's death anniversary.
Congress Strategy and Grassroots Mobilization
The Congress party, a key ally in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, is also formulating its approach. Senior leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet with top functionaries of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) and Congress Working Committee (CWC) members in Delhi later this month. A senior Congress leader revealed that internal discussions are focused on securing a share in power and demanding a seat to contest in every parliamentary constituency. This goal is aligned with the 41 seats the party secured in the 2016 assembly election.
Simultaneously, the DMK is focusing on grassroots mobilization. The party has organized a women's conference in Tirupur in December and a youth wing conference in Virudhunagar in January. These events are designed to galvanize core voter bases and build momentum ahead of the electoral battle.
The flurry of committee formations, strategic meetings, and public conferences signals the official start of the long campaign season for the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. With all major parties now in active preparation mode, the political landscape of the state is poised for a period of intense negotiation and competition.
