Chennai, July 9 (IANS) The ruling DMK’s ambitious membership drive, titled ‘Oraniyil Tamil Nadu’, has recorded an impressive start, with over 31 lakh new members enrolled within the first five days of its launch.

The campaign, which began last week, is being hailed by party insiders as one of the most structured and closely monitored outreach programmes in the party’s recent history.

The 45-day drive aims to enrol at least 30 per cent of voters in each booth across the state, with an overall target of adding two crore members to the DMK’s cadre base.

While previous membership initiatives were often treated as symbolic exercises, this campaign is being taken far more seriously, thanks to a robust system of internal monitoring and evaluation.

Senior party leaders revealed that the drive is not just about expanding the party’s numerical strength but also about consolidating public opinion against what the DMK calls the “discriminatory and neglectful” policies of the BJP-led Union government towards Tamil Nadu.

The campaign includes door-to-door canvassing, booth-level outreach, and direct engagement with voters to highlight the alleged injustices meted out by the Centre.

At the heart of the campaign’s operations is the Populus Empowerment Network (PEN), the DMK’s internal think tank.

PEN has deployed dedicated field teams to verify the accuracy of enrolment data being submitted by local units. This marks a significant shift from past campaigns where discrepancies in enrolment figures often went unverified.

The DMK leadership, led by Chief Minister and party president M.K. Stalin, is taking a hands-on approach.

CM Stalin himself has been in regular touch with district-level and booth-level functionaries to assess the progress of the campaign.

Sources confirm that feedback from PEN observers and other internal monitoring cells is being shared directly with the leadership, ensuring a transparent and results-driven approach.

With the Lok Sabha elections just months away, the DMK sees the ‘Oraniyil Tamil Nadu’ campaign as a critical step to energise its base, mobilise support, and counter the BJP’s growing presence in the state.

Party sources believe that the campaign’s initial success could set the tone for a more aggressive and targeted political strategy in the coming months.

–IANS

aal/svn