The twirl that paused
The twirling of the DMK’s party towel has emerged as a visible feature of its campaign, seen across rallies from Chief Minister M K Stalin to party cadres. In Salem, Gangavalli candidate K Chinnadurai drew attention by repeatedly twirling the towel and dancing to the campaign song even before Stalin’s arrival. After greeting the chief minister on stage, he resumed dancing, prompting Stalin to signal him to stop. The brief exchange, on an otherwise tightly managed stage, highlighted how displays of enthusiasm are occasionally moderated during campaign events
Sneha Sivashanmugam
Caste in the shadow of campaigns
Caste-based violence has repeatedly surfaced in Tirunelveli, drawing attention to deep social fault lines. Incidents such as the attack on an SC student and her sister in Nanguneri, the ‘honour killing’ of Kavin Selvaganesh, and the Perumpathu violence, remain fresh in public memory. Yet, despite these episodes, major political leaders have largely avoided addressing caste issues during the campaign. Both MK Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami have campaigned in the region without outlining specific measures
Thinakaran Rajamani