Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has begun reshaping his campaign messaging, moving away from the “father” image and increasingly presenting himself as an “elder brother,” according to the report.
During the past five years in office, Stalin launched several initiatives bearing the “Chief Minister” tag and rolled out multiple schemes for women and students. He had earlier expressed pride that young people calling him “appa” (father) made him happy, and that the bond implied by the term would endure.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and a few ministers had also sought to popularise the practice of addressing the Chief Minister as “appa.” However, the report says the messaging did not gain traction among the public, students and women.
In recent election campaign tours across districts, Stalin has been listing welfare measures for women while framing them as actions of an “elder brother.” He has also been referring to the election manifesto’s proposed Rs 8,000 coupon, telling women they can decide what to buy and where to buy it, and urging them not to hand the token to their husbands.
DMK functionaries cited in the report say the shift reflects a belief that the “father” sentiment did not work, prompting the party to lean on a “brother” narrative instead.
