DMK General Council in Madurai to sound 2026 Tamil Nadu poll bugle

Chennai: Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK will not just sound the poll bugle at its General Council meeting in Madurai on June 1 but is also expected to usher in significant changes to the party structure by increasing the number of deputy general secretaries and affiliated wings. The General Council (GC), the highest decision-making body of the DMK, has also led to intense speculation about a possible key role for Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin ahead of the crucial 2026 assembly elections.

Stalin, who arrived in the historic city of Madurai on Saturday, held a massive roadshow covering about 20 km—a show of strength that is also expected to further boost the morale of the DMK cadre. According to sources, the Chief Minister will outline the DMK’s plans for the 2026 assembly elections and stress the importance of winning the polls, which would help the party make history by being elected to a subsequent term.

Though elections are still a year away, the DMK has already begun its preparations for the 2026 polls by dividing the state into eight zones and appointing a senior leader for each zone to oversee preparations. K Kanimozhi, A Raja, V Senthil Balaji, and E V Velu are some of the senior leaders who have been made zonal in-charges.

The GC, which will be attended by about 6,000 party members, including GC members and senior functionaries, is likely to increase the number of deputy general secretaries from five to seven to accommodate more seniors into the party structure. It is also speculated that principal secretary K N Nehru might be elevated as one of the deputy general secretaries.

The number of deputy general secretaries was increased from three to five in 2020 with the inclusion of A Raja and K Ponmudy, who was replaced by Tiruchi N Siva in April 2025.

The number of affiliated units of the party is also expected to increase, sources said, adding that a formal announcement in this regard will be made on Sunday. The GC is being closely watched in political circles, with the DMK alliance aiming to win about 200 seats in 2026. The election is likely to witness a four-cornered contest between the DMK, AIADMK-BJP, actor Vijay’s TVK, and Naam Tamizhar Katchi.

“In the past few months, Stalin has cracked the whip more than once, even shunting out senior leaders from the Cabinet or from their posts. He has made it clear that victory is important. His speech is expected to outline the DMK’s campaign strategy and issue a warning to errant functionaries who don’t cooperate with district units,” a senior DMK leader told DH.

The DMK, which leads the Secular Progressive Alliance, has won three consecutive elections in 2019, 2021, and 2024. The AIADMK-BJP combine wants to stop it in its tracks. However, the DMK says its alliance strength and the welfare schemes of the four-year-old government will help the party secure another win.