In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA alliance achieved a clean sweep in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry, winning all 40 parliamentary seats.
The M.K. Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) formed the main plank of the win, winning 22 Lok Sabha seats and successfully supporting its alliance partners including Congress in other constituencies, which stopped the BJP from opening its account in the state.
The decisive victory in Tamil Nadu highlights a stark contrast with the YSR Congress’s defeat in Andhra Pradesh and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha despite extensive social welfare initiatives. The contrasting fortunes of these parties offer critical insights into effective political strategy and coalition building.
Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty
Coalition Building: Inclusivity and Ideological Coherence
One of the primary drivers of DMK’s success was its dedication to nurturing and sustaining a robust and ideologically coherent coalition. Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, MK Stalin has diligently built and maintained the Social Progressive Alliance, which later became part of the INDIA.
This coalition includes a diverse array of parties including the Indian National Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, CPI, CPM, and the Indian Union Muslim League, alongside various social organizations and micro-regional parties – each representing different segments of Tamil Nadu’s complex socio-political landscape.
This inclusive approach ensured a broad base of support across different social and political spectra and representation to multiple communities, creating a formidable united front against the BJP. Unlike Jaganmohan Reddy or Naveen Patnaik, who relied heavily on their personal charisma and extensive social welfare schemes, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin’s approach focused on building a resilient alliance grounded in shared opposition to the BJP’s policies.
While inclusivity ensured a broad base of support, ideological coherence provided the alliance with a clear and unified purpose. The DMK strongly opposed the BJP’s policies, projecting them as proponents of authoritarianism and the Hindutva ideology. This stance was not merely oppositional but deeply rooted in the historical and ideological foundations of the Dravidian movement, which advocates for dignity, social justice, secularism, and state autonomy.
The communication of a sincere opposition, resonated deeply with the committed party cadre and the voters. The able management of the coalition dynamics and internal cohesion, which went beyond just seat sharing, helped the opposition present a united front against the BJP. For instance, the positive coverage of cadre cooperation across party lines within the coalition during the election campaign indicates consistent messaging from the leadership down to the hyper-local levels.
Ideological Clarity and Consistent Messaging
A key lesson from Tamil Nadu’s electoral success is the importance of ideological clarity and consistent messaging. MK Stalin and the DMK made it a priority to communicate their opposition to the BJP’s Hindutva ideology at every level. This involved not just high-profile leaders, but also district secretaries and local party structures, ensuring that the message permeated through every layer of society.
DMK’s extensive use of its various wings—Youth, Women, Students, and IT—to organise programmes over several years played a crucial role. These programmes continuously educated and mobilized party supporters and the general public against what they termed the BJP’s fascist policies.
Issues such as the overreach of enforcement and investigative agencies, judicial biases, fiscal policies like the GST system, the impacts of delimitation, threats to OBC reservations, inflation, the NEET examination, biased treatment during natural calamities, and the CAA-NRC legislations were effectively communicated, highlighting the perceived threats to empowerment of the marginalised, social justice and state autonomy.
Grassroots Mobilization and Hyper-local Structures
Under MK Stalin’s leadership, DMK underwent a renaissance in terms of hyper-local party structures. By focusing on grassroots organisation, DMK ensured a robust party presence down to every street in the state. This was mirrored in the branching out of similar structures in every wing of the party, fostering a culture of strong internal communication and coordination, which is vital in a state with high political engagement.
Stalin’s strategy involved leveraging every wing of the party—Youth, Women, Students, and IT—to organize continuous programmes and outreach efforts to communicate party stands on various issues, in particular, the disinformation campaigns by BJP. The hyper-local structures are evolving in their effectiveness to coordinate among themselves, and in its interaction with the traditional party infrastructure.
Amidst varying degrees of resistance to the change in how party operates on ground, there is an overwhelming agreement among the party workers that a resilient party structure is needed to counter the electoral machine of AIADMK, BJP and social media onslaught by a variety of actors. Parties such as BJD and YSRCP had delegated this function to non-party entities like the Self-Help-Groups (SHGs) in Odisha and a network of government recruited-volunteers in Andhra Pradesh.
Digital Savvy and Strategic Communication
In a state with high digital penetration and social media consumption, DMK’s proactive digital engagement played a pivotal role. The party’s IT Wing was instrumental in countering the BJP’s well-funded digital campaigns. DMK adopted a dual strategy–the tendency to utilize professional help from consultants for strategic insights while empowering its IT Wing to manage day-to-day digital operations.
This approach ensured a scalable and effective communication model that was responsive to the fast-paced digital landscape. Additionally, efforts are being made to establish year-round accessible capacity to handle the data requirements of modern election management through organisations like the Populus Empowerment Network (PEN). This is increasingly becoming a necessity for political parties in India.
The DMK’s efforts to streamline internal communication down to hyper-local structures, although challenging, is paying off. By leveraging digital tools, the party maintained a cohesive and dynamic presence across social media platforms, effectively countering misinformation, defending its ideological stance in the social media sphere and engaging with voters in real-time.
Revitalizing Ideological Foundations
A significant aspect of DMK’s strategy was the reintroduction and emphasis on the works of ideological icons like EVR Periyar, CN Annadurai, and Kalaignar Karunanidhi, through various forums, social media groups created by the party and its wings. At the same time it also supported and at times enabled the efforts by social organisations and social media groups.
The party believed that it is the ideological strength that is required the most to counter the “status quo-ist, back to the tradition” narrative of BJP, which implicitly doesn’t challenge the feudal and caste structures, that is routinely put forth by the BJP national unit, state unit alongside the broader Sangh Parivar ecosystem.
By reconnecting with its ideological roots, the DMK reaffirmed its commitment to social justice, rationalism, and state autonomy. This ideological renewal attracted new members and revitalised existing supporters, building a strong foundation for potential electoral success while countering the ideological assault from the Sangh ecosystem in both traditional and digital media.
Holistic Policy Approach
Stalin’s administration implemented comprehensive social welfare schemes tailored to address the needs of Tamil Nadu’s diverse populace. Initiatives like the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai (Kalaignar Women’s Rights Grant Scheme), Vidiyal Payanam (free bus travel for women), Pudhumai Pen (Higher Education Assurance Scheme for women), and Thamizh Puthalvan (equivalent program for men) exemplify DMK’s commitment to social equity. These programs, alongside the Naan Mudhalvan skill-building initiative, addressed both immediate needs and long-term aspirations of the state’s citizens.
In contrast, Jaganmohan Reddy’s reliance on direct benefit transfers and extensive welfare spending in Andhra Pradesh to the tune of 2.7 lakh crore rupees, while significant, lacked the cohesive ideological and coalition support seen in Tamil Nadu. The over-reliance on consultants and non-party volunteers, coupled with insufficient grassroots organization, left BJD and YSR Congress vulnerable. Consequently, there is a strong need to critically evaluate the new party management prescriptions that are floating in the political landscape, that favour transactional relationships against the values of ideological adherence and party loyalty.
In the wake of an evolving political landscape, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu underscore the importance of a well-rounded political strategy. The DMK has demonstrated that effective coalition building, grassroots mobilization, digital savvy, ideological clarity, and comprehensive social policies can together create a formidable electoral force. As political landscapes across India continue to evolve, the lessons from Tamil Nadu offer a blueprint for achieving electoral success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Vignesh Karthik KR is a postdoctoral research fellow of Indian and Indonesian politics at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, Leiden and Research Affiliate at the King’s India Institute, King’s College London. He tweets @krvtweets
Jeyannathann Karunanithi is an independent researcher based in Chennai. He tweets @jeyankaruna
Read all of The Wire’s reporting on and analysis of the 2024 election results here.