Reasons for DMK's Election Defeat and Immediate corrections Dmk needs to do

## **Reasons for DMK's Election Defeat**

Former Chief Minister and DMK President Stalin had asked to list out the reasons for DMK’s recent election defeat. Here they are:

### **Key Reasons for the Election Defeat:**

* **High-handedness and Anti-People Attitude:**

The high-handed behaviour of party cadres and the anti-people attitude of MLAs are the topmost reasons for this electoral defeat. Specifically, the shocking incidents of Ministers themselves assaulting the public created massive outrage among the people.

* **Giving Tickets to Elements with Criminal Backgrounds:**

Giving seats to contest in the election to controversial figures like Kathiravan, who was embroiled in kidney transplant scams, completely damaged the party's credibility.

* **Corruption and Drug Links:**

Layer upon layer of irregularities running rampant in sand smuggling and TASMAC administration, along with the close nexus between party members and individuals like Jaffer Sadiq (who is linked to an international drug trafficking case), have brought severe disrepute to the party's image.

* **Severe Tax and Tariff Hikes:**

Hiking property tax and professional tax by more than 50%, alongside raising electricity tariffs twice in a short span of time, pushed the common man into deep discontent.

* **Crushing Critics:**

The tendency to jail and suppress those who point out the government’s mistakes and grievances—such as Savukku Shankar—has created a highly anti-democratic image for the government.

### **Immediate Course Corrections Needed for DMK:**

1. **Immediate Action Against Rowdy Elements:**

DMK must regain public trust by immediately removing Ministers and MLAs who behaved high-handedly with the public from their party posts.

2. **Dropping Outdated Strategies:**

The party must immediately stop clinging to the outdated 1960s political strategy of badmouthing Brahmins and the Hindu community in the hope of consolidating other communities' votes to win.

3. **Equal Opportunities:**

Similar to the approach followed by Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), adequate opportunities must be given to members of the Brahmin community to contest in elections.

4. **Polite Approach Towards Petitioners:**

When the public comes to voice their grievances, they must be spoken to with kindness, their issues must be considered, and comforting replies should be given. Close to the election, when an emotional woman came to submit a petition, Chief Minister Stalin snatched it from her without even looking back at her and simply handed it over to his security guard before walking away. Such actions left a highly negative impression among voters. From the Chief Minister down to the grassroots cadre, this indifferent attitude must be completely dropped.

*(While there are many more points to be highlighted, only the most critical ones have been mentioned here).*