TVK Did No Field Work, Won Polls Using Social Media: Stalin

DMK President M K Stalin on Monday launched a sharp attack on the ruling party led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay , alleging that it secured its Assembly election victory without meaningful ground level effort and relied heavily on digital outreach .

Speaking at a public function in Thanjavur, Stalin said the ruling party had not carried out the kind of extensive field work traditionally expected in elections. He contrasted this with the DMK , highlighting the party’s organisational activities, including statewide conferences and efforts linked to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls .

Without directly naming the ruling party in parts of his remarks, Stalin alleged that it managed to win the April 23 Assembly polls despite limited physical campaign presence in several constituencies. He further claimed that in many areas, polling agents were not even appointed by the ruling side.

A key point in his criticism was the growing role of social media influence in shaping electoral outcomes. Stalin alleged that digital platforms were used to reach households indirectly, including through younger members of families, which in turn influenced wider voter perception.

He remarked that such strategies had gone largely unnoticed during the campaign period, but the DMK had now taken note of them. The party, he said, would remain more vigilant going forward and had already begun formulating strategies to counter what he described as social media driven political messaging .

Stalin also reflected on the DMK’s organisational history, noting that the party, founded in 1949, has experienced both victories and setbacks over the decades. He said the DMK had consistently shown resilience and had risen again after defeats, comparing its journey to that of a phoenix .

His remarks come amid increasing political focus on the role of digital campaigning in Tamil Nadu elections, with parties adapting to rapidly changing communication tools and voter engagement methods.