Chennai, Jan 1 (IANS) Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth on Thursday said the Tamil Nadu government must urgently address the long-pending demands of protesting secondary grade teachers and sanitation workers, asserting that her party stood firmly with the agitating sections.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Premalatha said the grievances raised by teachers and sanitation workers were genuine and required immediate attention from the state government.

She urged the administration to hold discussions with the protesters and arrive at a fair and lasting solution without further delay.

“These are people who play a crucial role in the functioning of society, and their demands cannot be ignored,” she said.

Referring to the political developments ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the DMDK leader said the upcoming polls would be unprecedented in the history of Tamil Nadu.

She expressed confidence that the political scenario would witness major realignments and indicated that the formation of a coalition government was highly likely after the elections.

Premalatha reiterated that the party would take a final decision on its electoral alliance only after its State conference scheduled for January 9.

“Our party will decide its future course of action after detailed discussions at the conference. The alliance we choose to be part of will emerge victorious in the Assembly elections,” she asserted.

Responding to questions on whether the DMDK had been invited to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Tamil Nadu on January 4, Premalatha said no such invitation had been extended to her party.

She added that the DMDK was currently focused on strengthening its organisational structure and preparing for its upcoming State conference.

The DMDK leader also expressed serious concern over the increasing drug menace in the state. She urged the government to intensify efforts to curb the sale and distribution of narcotics, warning that drug abuse posed a grave threat to the younger generation.

In a separate announcement, the party said a meeting of DMDK district secretaries would be held on January 5 at the party headquarters in Koyambedu, Chennai.

The meeting is expected to deliberate on organisational matters, preparations for the state conference, and the party’s political strategy in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

–IANS

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