Children Deployed in High-Stakes Dindigul Election Campaigns

In the Dindigul Assembly constituency, a high-stakes electoral battle has intensified as DMK candidate I. P. Senthil Kumar faces veteran AIADMK leader Dindigul Srinivasan. Senthil Kumar, son of Minister I. Periyasamy and former Palani MLA, finds his position challenged despite initial confidence. To secure victory, the DMK has mobilized significant resources, including top party leaders and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. Notably, Senthil Kumar’s family members are actively canvassing; his wife Mercy campaigns across town, while his minor children, Senthoor Adhavan (12th grade) and Oviya Meenakshi (9th grade), go door-to-door appealing for votes for the DMK to continue the Dravidian welfare model. AIADMK workers criticize this involvement of minors as a desperate measure. In response, reflecting the dynastic nature of regional politics, Srinivasan is also campaigning with his sons, though only AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami has joined him so far, signaling his party's confidence. The constituency has a volatile voting history, shifting between DMK, CPI(M), and AIADMK in recent decades, making this contest particularly critical for both major Dravidian parties.