TIRUCHY: DMK Principal Secretary K. N. Nehru on Wednesday admitted that the party had underestimated and did not predict the rise of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and its influence among young and family voters through social media outreach during the recent Assembly elections.
“We did not take them seriously. We underestimated them and focused only in opposing AIADMK. But TVK used social media very strategically and directly reached youngsters and families," Nehru said while addressing a meeting of DMK functionaries at Kalaignar Arivalayam in Tiruchy.
Reviewing the election outcome and the party’s future course, Nehru said the vote gap between the ruling front and the DMK alliance was only around 17 lakh votes and claimed the party narrowly lost 27 constituencies by margins ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 votes. He said a shift in public mood during the final days of campaigning had impacted the results.
He said, "TVK used Instagram through their "Route" effectively because in the last three days before elections everything changed dramatically."
Nehru also called for reviving the "Kalaignar brand" to revive the party and urged cadre to use the June 3 birth anniversary celebrations of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to reconnect with the public and strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level.
As part of the resolutions adopted at the meeting, party units across Tiruchy Central and North districts were instructed to hoist party flags, distribute welfare assistance and circulate videos highlighting Karunanidhi's achievements on social media platforms to attract younger audiences.
Stressing the role of grassroots cadre ahead of the upcoming bypolls, Nehru said Tiruchy district had historically stood by the DMK during difficult political periods and urged functionaries to understand the reasons behind the party’s defeat instead of remaining complacent, and "work at lightning speed"to rebuild the organisation.
