Chennai: Starting from DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin’s ‘Namakku Naame’ programme and the recent ad blitz in newspapers and television channels, the party’s political campaign seems to have acquired a new style in content, form and methods with simplicity and fun to lure the common man, especially youth.
Not only the style and method, the men behind the campaign ideas too are new, since Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan and youth wing functionary Mahesh Poyyamozhi is credited with transforming the campaign and giving it a modern era look.
Sabareesan, who does not hold any post in DMK, has effortlessly entered the Assembly records with an AIADMK MLA choosing to mention his name. Both Sabareesan and his brain child ‘Namakku Naame’ has caught the attention of the ruling party, but Sabareesan prefers to act from behind the scenes with a young team to promote his father-in-law’s political fortunes. Sabareesan, immediately after his love marriage with Stalin’s daughter Senthamarai lived separately, but lives with Stalin now, helping the DMK’s campaign.
Stalin’s campaign has resemblance to ‘brand Modi’ campaign and the latest advertisement blitz shows a corporate touch.
The new corporate mode of campaign itself is said to be the idea of Sabareesan, a businessman.
The shedding of traditional party-coloured veshti-shirt combo and sporting tucked-in colourful branded shirts with trousers and T-shirts and the idea of interacting with voters at tea shops and paddy fields during the road show, according to partymen, were planned and organised by Sabareesan.
Despite, criticism of the show as a ‘drama’, partymen are enthused over the new style mass contact programme. Besides, the DMK has begun using the new age propaganda tools of mobile applications and social media.
Mahesh Poyyamozhi, is also another cog in DMK’s propaganda wheel and teams up with Sabareesan. Mahesh, grandson of DMK leader ‘Anbil’ Dharmalingam, is a close friend of Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi.
Unlike Sabareesan, Mahesh is actively into politics and is giving sleepless nights to DMK’s strongman K.N.Nehru in Tiruchy. The activities in Tiruchy which were centred round Nehru, is revolving round Mahesh, who is also in charge of Udhayanidhi’s fan club.
