Coimbatore: Chief minister M K Stalin said the grand reception accorded to him by the people of Coimbatore on Tuesday was a clear indication that the DMK front would sweep the 2026 assembly polls.
"The reception has confirmed that DMK will win again. DMK will come to power in 2026 too," Stalin told reporters after a meeting with Coimbatore district party workers on Tuesday evening.
In the closed-door meeting with party workers, where only about 200 functionaries were allowed, Stalin tasked them to work for the victory of DMK in all the 10 assembly segments in the district.
In the 2021 assembly polls, DMK had lost all the 10 seats. Winning all the seats in Coimbatore was vital for the party to achieve its goal of winning 200 seats in TN, he told the workers. He also instructed them to nurture at least 10 to 15 youths in every residential locality, who are ideologically strong. Partymen said that Stalin reviewed the party's position in the 10 assembly segments and asked them to work for the victory.
Stalin, who landed at Coimbatore airport earlier in the day was given a rousing reception. Hundreds of people had gathered on either side of the road from the airport to the IT Park in Vilankurichi, which he inaugurated.
"It took one hour for me to cross a four km stretch from the airport to Elcot (IT Park). The love showered by Coimbatore people!'' Stalin had tweeted.
This was Stalin's first visit to Coimbatore after state electricity minister Senthil Balaji, in charge of Coimbatore district, was released from prison.
The CM had chosen Coimbatore as his first destination for district-wise field inspections. He then gave away withdrawal orders to landowners whose lands were earmarked for acquisition by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board.
For 35 years, the landowners were unable to utilise their land because of the acquisition plan. Now the withdrawal order would facilitate them to utilise the land. "This is a 35-year-old issue brought to me during the Lok Sabha poll campaign. About 10,000 families would benefit from the withdrawal order,'' Stalin said in a tweet.
In the evening, Stalin visited a goldsmith's unit at Kempatty Colony, following a petition by various associations involved in gold jewellery making and selling.
They requested an industrial park exclusively for goldsmith units. Stalin interacted with a few goldsmiths there. When reporters asked about the request, Stalin said the demand would be considered by the govt.
He also inspected the construction work of a hostel for workers at Sidco industrial estate in Kurichi.