DMK faces tough contests in Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is locked in closely fought contests in the two Assembly segments it is directly contesting in Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts, with mixed signals emerging from the ground.

In Mayiladuthurai, the party has fielded Nivedha M. Murugan, district secretary of DMK, who had secured 96,102 votes and won by a margin of 3,299 votes in the previous election. He faces S. Pownraj of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). A section of voters cites limited accessibility, weak ground connect, lack of visible development works, and poor road infrastructure. Internal factionalism within the DMK is also seen as a constraint.

Party insiders, however, say the discontent is largely candidate-specific and has not affected support for the party. Senior leaders, including Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin, have campaigned here. In a notable shift over the past three days, Mr. Murugan has brought in a broader pool of district-level functionaries and prominent party faces to intensify campaigning, moving beyond his earlier reliance on local cadres. Daily outreach efforts, including village-level meetings and interactions with community leaders, have been stepped up. Party wings such as the farmers’ and women’s wings are also active on the ground. Though there was resistance in a few villages initially, cadres say they have managed to regain access. While some discontent persists among sections of the fishing community, minority voters in areas such as Kuthalam are expected to back the DMK despite local grievances.