Tamil Nadu: DMK gears up for Tiruchirappalli State Conference, aims to mobilise 10 lakh cadres

Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 2 (ANI): The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is entering the final stages of preparations for its much-anticipated State Conference in Tiruchirappalli, with the event scheduled for March 9 at Siruganur along the Tiruchirappalli-Chennai National Highway.
The massive gathering is expected to cover nearly 400 acres. Party sources indicate that key announcements regarding the DMK's electoral promises for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are likely to be made during the conference.
According to party administrators, the event is expected to serve as a turning point for the DMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
Elaborate arrangements are being made to ensure that participants arriving from across Tamil Nadu can attend the conference and return safely.
A grand stage with a specially designed ramp is being constructed at the venue. Facilities, including large-scale dining halls and drinking water arrangements, are being put in place to cater to lakhs of party cadres. Road widening works are also underway in and around the venue to manage traffic flow.
The main stage and seating arrangements for attendees are being set up across 400 acres, while an additional 200 acres have been earmarked exclusively for vehicle parking.
To meet drinking water needs, water tanks with a total capacity of 5 lakh litres will be installed at various points across the venue. With an estimated 10 lakh participants expected to attend the 12th State Conference, arrangements are being made to seat up to 5,000 people in separate enclosed sections or box-style seating areas.
As part of the opening ceremony, a 100-foot-tall flagpole is being erected for the hoisting of the DMK party flag. Additionally, giant LED screens with visibility extending up to 300 feet are being installed to broadcast the proceedings of the public meeting to the massive gathering.
The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the MK Stalin-led alliance will look to project the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' for a win against the BJP-AIADMK alliance.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay's entry with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is expected to turn the Tamil Nadu polls into a three-way contest.
In the 2021 polls, the DMK won 133 seats. Congress won 18, PMK won five, VCK won four, and others won eight seats. The Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), led by DMK, which consisted of Congress, won 159 seats collectively. While the NDA won 75 seats, the AIADMK emerged as the largest party in the alliance with 66 seats. (ANI)