Development projects rain on Coimbatore as DMK eyes 2026 polls

From appointing V Senthil Balaji, in-charge minister of Coimbatore to initiating a slew of development projects to strengthening the party structure, the DMK under Stalin has been pulling all stops to win over the city in the assembly elections, which are about 18 months away from now.

Chennai: Coimbatore has been at the centre of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) political focus since 2021 after it lost all the 10 assembly seats to the then AIADMK-BJP combine. However, the party made a dramatic comeback to administer Tamil Nadu after a decade.

From appointing V Senthil Balaji, a native of Karur, as the in-charge minister of Coimbatore to initiating a slew of development projects to strengthening the party structure, the DMK under Chief Minister M K Stalin has been pulling all stops to win over the city in the assembly elections, which are about 18 months away from now.

That’s the reason Stalin has chosen Coimbatore to launch his district-wise tour to monitor development projects and unveil new buildings. Not just that, the Chief Minister was accompanied by at least ten ministers during his two-day stay in the district with whom he discussed the status of the existing projects and brainstormed on what more needs to be done.

The DMK has traditionally been weak in Kongu region, especially in Coimbatore, which has mostly preferred the AIADMK, and the party has been making concerted efforts to reverse the trend. The BJP has also been trying to make inroads into the region.

At a meeting of party functionaries, the only non-government event, Stalin didn’t mince words when he asked them to work towards winning all the 10 assembly seats in the district in the 2026 polls, apparently to overcome the embarrassment the DMK suffered in 2021. The party did win the Lok Sabha polls from Coimbatore by defeating BJP’s K Annamalai but the DMK wants to display its show of strength in the assembly polls.

“Your foremost job is to take our ideology to youngsters. Try spending two hours a day for party work and dedicate a whole day during the weekends for the DMK till the 2026 elections. We should sweep not just Coimbatore but the whole of Tamil Nadu. My target is 200/234,” Stalin said.

A grand library and science centre named after social reformer E V R Periyar, an international cricket stadium, expansion of the existing airport, a brand-new IT park that could accommodate about 38,000 people, and a massive park are some of the projects that the DMK government is currently implementing in Coimbatore.

Stalin also made it a point to “congratulate” Balaji, who is out on bail in a money laundering case, on his “comeback” to work for the people of Coimbatore. Balaji, who was credited for the DMK’s splendid show in the 2022 urban local body polls, also played a key role in the selection of the DMK candidate in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“In about two years, Balaji did strengthen the organisational structure. But more needs to be done in terms of creating a long-term infrastructure for the party. The CM's visit is also aimed at telling people that the DMK cares for Coimbatore and the western region,” a senior party leader told DH.

Senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh told DH that the western region has always been a “slippery ground” for the DMK and that the 2026 battle has become tougher for the party with the entry of actor Vijay. “So, the DMK has to tighten its belt in areas where it has been traditionally weak. And the BJP has also been trying to tap into the region. Stalin would definitely want to focus on the region and his visit shows exactly that,” he said.