Overview
- Sabarisan Vedamurthy, who leads the Populus Empowerment Network and is M K Stalin’s son-in-law, said he accepts the voters’ verdict and called blaming PEN alone for the loss an oversimplification.
- PEN urged supporters and critics to avoid misinformation and personal attacks and said it will listen, learn, and adjust after the setback.
- Inside the DMK, leaders and cadres have singled out PEN’s role in campaign planning, with reports highlighting Udhayanidhi Stalin’s criticism and calls to cut ties with the firm.
- Party functionaries have questioned PEN’s influence over strategy and candidate choices, arguing those decisions weakened local networks and missed ground signals.
- The defeat left the DMK with 59 seats to TVK’s 108 in the 234-member Assembly, intensifying pressure for a broader rethink that could reshape how the party uses outside consultants.