With the Tamil Nadu assembly elections drawing nearer, the women's wings of the state's two major Dravidian parties are preparing to showcase their organizational strength through large-scale conferences. This strategic move underscores the critical importance of the women's vote in the upcoming electoral battle.
DMK Plans Major Show of Strength in Thanjavur
Building on the momentum from its successful western zone conference held in Palladam during December, the ruling DMK has scheduled another significant gathering for its women's wing. This event is set to take place in Thanjavur on January 19.
A senior party functionary revealed that the Palladam meet, led by MP Kanimozhi, was a powerful demonstration of support. The upcoming Thanjavur rally is expected to be even larger in scale. The functionary stated that while more than one lakh women cadres attended the Palladam meeting, the party is now aiming to bring together approximately 1.5 lakh women for the January event.
AIADMK Counters with Kallakurichi Conference
Not to be outdone, the opposition AIADMK is organizing a parallel conference to display the might of its own women's wing. The party will hold its women's wing conference in Kallakurichi on January 5.
B Valarmathi, the women's wing state secretary and a former minister, informed that the party anticipates over 1 lakh women to participate, with the majority hailing from Kallakurichi district itself. She emphasized that mobilizing such a vast number from a single district would effectively demonstrate the party's deep-rooted organizational capabilities.
Courting the Crucial Women's Vote
This renewed focus on women-centric conferences is set against the backdrop of women voters becoming an increasingly decisive demographic in this election cycle. The political strategies of the two parties are clearly diverging to appeal to this segment.
The DMK is relying heavily on its track record of implementing welfare schemes specifically targeted at women. Conversely, the AIADMK is striving to reclaim its traditional voter base. The party is actively invoking the legacy of its late iconic leader, J Jayalalithaa, while simultaneously criticizing the DMK government over issues concerning women's safety.
Keerthika Muniasamy, the AIADMK women's wing state joint secretary, asserted that the upcoming conference would intensify the party's attack on what it calls the DMK's anti-people policies. She highlighted a perceived breakdown in law and order, particularly affecting women and children, as a key point of contention.
As the election atmosphere heats up, these massive rallies are more than just shows of strength; they are a direct appeal to a constituency that could very well determine the final outcome at the polls.
