Tamil Nadu’s election campaign is increasingly being seen as a “boring” contest with no common talking point, according to a Dinamalar commentary that blames the tone and content of leaders’ speeches. The piece argues that campaign messaging is failing to match what voters expect.
It says earlier leaders developed their own style, read public mood and decided what to say even if advisers were present. In contrast, today’s leaders are portrayed as dependent on paid strategists who “direct” them like actors, turning rallies into scripted performances.
The commentary claims strategists also copy what works for rival leaders, making speeches predictable and lacking a clear goal. It adds that the campaigns of the two major Dravidian parties have drifted away from public expectations.
Focusing on Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s campaign, the article says he lists government achievements and manifesto promises—especially free schemes—while spending significant time attacking the BJP and the Union government on issues such as Hindi “imposition”, the three-language policy, funding for Sanskrit, school education funds, the Keezhadi excavation report, and railway projects. It also notes criticism over his references to minority votes and specific remarks made at Nagercoil and Madurai.
The piece argues that repeated attacks on the Centre in a state election are being brushed aside by voters, and that language politics no longer draws the same interest in the AI era. It further says some voters view criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as unappealing amid perceptions of goodwill on certain national issues, and concludes that avoiding state-focused future plans has made the DMK’s campaign feel stale.
