Udhayanidhi Stalin accuses Centre of targeting minority votes, urges Tamils to verify names in voter list
Chennai: In a strongly worded statement, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin alleged that the Centre’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive has resulted in a massive number of voters being declared ineligible across the state.
During a press conference in Chennai, Udhayanidhi reiterated Chief Minister M. K. Stalin’s earlier warning that the SIR process was being used as a tool to remove votes belonging to minorities, Dalits, and Muslims. “This is not just an administrative exercise. It is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise vulnerable communities,” he alleged.
According to Udhayanidhi, nearly 97 lakh names have been removed from the voters’ list in Tamil Nadu alone, with Chennai accounting for around 14 lakh deletions. He urged citizens to promptly verify whether their names still remain on the electoral roll, insisting that the ruling DMK would support anyone who finds their name missing.
The Deputy Chief Minister also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of attempting to influence Tamil Nadu’s political landscape through “external strategies devised from Delhi.” Referring to Shah’s claim that the BJP had secured victory in the Bihar elections and was now targeting Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi asserted that such statements were meant to intimidate the people.
He added that while such tactics may work in northern states like Bihar or Madhya Pradesh, they would not succeed in Tamil Nadu. “Maybe you can win in the North, but in Tamil Nadu your plans will never take off,” he said, asserting that the people of the state were politically conscious and would not be frightened by threats.
Udhayanidhi urged citizens to treat the issue seriously and to take individual responsibility for confirming their voting rights. “Everyone must personally check whether their votes are intact. If your name has been removed, please re-register immediately. We have to safeguard our own rights,” he emphasised.
He reassured that the DMK would extend full support to affected voters and ensure they are guided through the re-registration process.
With the 2026 Assembly elections nearing, the remarks are expected to fuel further political confrontation between the state government and the Centre over electoral reforms and voter roll revision.
Udhayanidhi’s allegations come at a time when the opposition BJP is attempting to consolidate its presence in Tamil Nadu, while the DMK is positioning itself as defender of democratic rights and minority protection.
The controversy is likely to intensify, with both sides gearing up for a high-stakes electoral battle in the coming months.
