DMK women’s wing booth level campaign at Ramachandra Nagar in Tiruchi on Wednesday. | Photo credit: M. MOORTHY
On a humid afternoon in Ramachandra Nagar in Tiruchi West constituency, a small group of women knock on the door, carrying cloth bags full of pamphlets – part campaign material, part household diary. But it is not a routine political visit.
When residents scan the QR code inside the brochure, Chief Minister MK Stalin appears on their phone screens via augmented reality, seemingly addressing them from their living room.
The scene captures the evolving nature of the DMK’s ‘Vellum Tamil Pengal’ campaign – a nationwide women-led mobilization effort at the booth level that combines traditional door-to-door outreach with digital tools, signaling a new strategy to consolidate women voters while expanding the role of women in the party structure.
In Tamil Nadu’s 75,032 polling stations, the party has created a ‘Magalir Padai’ – a committee of 10 women in each booth – whose job it is to reach out to households, explain government plans and build local networks. The campaign is monitored by a dedicated digital coordinator, WhatsApp groups and training sessions are held on weekends to prepare cadres for communication and outreach.
“For the first time, we are running a campaign without men,” said M. Kavitha, secretary of the Tiruchi Central District Women’s Wing, during a visit to Ward 62. “Earlier, door-to-door work was done by men. Women were asked to carry the flags or stand behind them. Now it is a women’s campaign and that in itself is empowering.”
Cadres say the reception has been largely positive, especially among women familiar with welfare systems. “We talk about women-oriented programmes, clarify doubts and also explain our political position,” Ms Kavitha said, adding that the talks often go beyond politics to household matters.
Running a small roadside dosa stand herself, she pointed out a recurring theme in these interactions. “The programs have helped many of us, but creating government jobs must remain a priority. Stable employment is what really lifts families out of poverty,” she said.
Residents echo the sentiment that the tone of engagement is different. V. Kalaichaselvi, who hosted a group of campaign volunteers, said the visit made politics feel more accessible. “It was nice to see a group of women come home and talk calmly. Politics is no longer intimidating,” she said.
A senior DMK functionary said the model was meant to “build leadership among women cadres while creating a more intimate connection with women voters who may not speak freely in mixed rallies”.
The campaign follows a carefully constructed process. Volunteers first introduce themselves and hand out a booklet listing government programs along with practical tools – emergency helplines, contact note space, household budget planner, diary, motivational quotes and calendar.
Residents are then invited to scan a QR code that launches an augmented reality video of the Chief Minister addressing the women directly, appreciating their contributions and calling for continued support for social initiatives.
The campaign, which began on February 23, is being carried out in intensive phases, with volunteers covering around 20 houses a day to ensure that by March 8, all the stalls are there. Magalir Padai members at the booth level upload daily progress reports to the Makkaludan Stalin app to track outreach.
Published – 25 Feb 2026 22:35 IST
