PUDUCHERRY: The DMK is intensifying efforts to consolidate the influential Vanniyar vote bank as part of its strategy to wrest power in the Union Territory in the 2026 Assembly elections.
With six MLAs in the 30-member Assembly, the party is keen to increase its seat share and believes it has strong prospects of forming the government. Notably, the DMK currently lacks an MLA from the Vanniyar community, a factor it is determined to rectify to bolster its electoral fortunes.
The Vanniyar vote bank has been a decisive force in Puducherry’s political landscape. Taking a cue from Chief Minister N Rangasamy, the Congress, and the BJP—who have successfully wooed the community by promoting prominent Vanniyar leaders—the DMK has now embarked on a similar course.
Rangasamy has effectively leveraged this support base, while the Congress projected A Namassivayam as its chief ministerial candidate in 2016 to clinch victory. The BJP, too, capitalised on this strategy by inducting Namassivayam ahead of the 2021 elections, which aided its rise to power.
As part of its renewed push, the DMK recently welcomed back former MLA Nantha T Saravanan, who had exited the party in 2016. His return to the fold, in the presence of Chief Minister M K Stalin, is seen as a crucial step in broadening the party’s outreach within the Vanniyar community. The DMK is also actively scouting for influential leaders across constituencies, including those who have defected to rival parties.
Having governed Puducherry on four previous occasions, the last being the DMK-TMC-CPI coalition under R V Janakiraman from 1996 to 2000, the party is optimistic about reclaiming power. DMK leaders assert that the popularity of Stalin and his ‘Dravidian model’ of governance is resonating strongly with the electorate.
The party is preparing for a full-fledged electoral contest and has resolved to field candidates in all 30 Assembly seats. At a recent executive meeting, DMK Puducherry convenor and Leader of the Opposition R Siva directed functionaries to gear up for a solo fight. However, if an alliance is pursued, the party intends to secure the maximum number of seats in any seat-sharing arrangement.
Meanwhile, its ally, the Congress, has downplayed discussions regarding the DMK’s electoral manoeuvres, asserting that alliance decisions will be taken at the leadership level in Chennai and Delhi. Senior Congress leader and former chief minister V Narayanasamy, addressing party cadres in Lawspet, maintained that the Congress was equally capable of contesting all 30 seats independently, citing its historical dominance in Puducherry politics.
Beyond electoral calculations, the DMK has been actively engaging with the people of Puducherry through a series of social outreach initiatives. The party has been organising welfare programmes, including aid distribution during leaders’ birthdays and festivals, as well as blood donation drives, in a bid to strengthen grassroots support and establish a direct connect with the electorate.