Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin has recently made a strong accusation, alleging that both the BJP and AIADMK are strategizing to win the upcoming State Assembly elections by systematically removing eligible voters from key demographic groups. He claims their plan involves using the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process to target working-class citizens, Scheduled Castes, minorities, and women for deletion from the electoral rolls.
In a public statement, Mr. Stalin asserted that the AIADMK and BJP lack the genuine public support to face elections fairly. Instead, he believes they are resorting to these calculated measures to disenfranchise voters. However, he confidently stated that this manipulative tactic would ultimately fail in Tamil Nadu.
Stalin highlighted that the DMK and its allies within the INDIA bloc have consistently raised concerns, pointing to similar instances where the BJP, allegedly with assistance from the ECI, removed approximately 6.5 million voters from the electoral rolls in Bihar. He warned that comparable strategies are now being pursued in Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Minister confirmed that the DMK has already formally requested the Election Commission to abandon the controversial SIR process. They have also asked for sufficient time if any genuine revision of voter lists is necessary. Should the Election Commission proceed with the SIR, Mr. Stalin affirmed that the DMK is prepared to take legal action and mobilize public support to protect citizens’ voting rights.
Mr. Stalin also referenced the DMK’s extensive public outreach initiative, ‘Tamil Nadu under One Camp’ (Oraniyil Tamil Nadu), which aimed to inform citizens about the widespread benefits of the state government’s welfare schemes. He criticized the BJP-led central government for allegedly neglecting Tamil Nadu by withholding crucial funds, yet emphasized that the DMK administration has successfully implemented various welfare programs. While the DMK has proudly enrolled 20 million new members, he stressed that their commitment to public service remains ongoing.
Finally, Mr. Stalin urged all DMK party members to diligently supervise the proposed Special Intensive Revision. He reiterated his accusation that the SIR is designed to suppress votes, particularly as he believes the AIADMK, by aligning with the BJP, has neglected its responsibility to protect the people’s rights. He concluded by affirming the crucial role of the DMK and its allies in safeguarding the democratic rights of all voters.