With eye on polls, AIADMK to revive Youth Brigades

Office bearers told to focus on strengthening youth wing, infuse young blood into party; EPS to embark on statewide tour from January

- T MURUGANANDHAM

WITH an eye on the 2026 Assembly polls, AIADMK has decided to strengthen its youth wing to garner the support of the young voters and inject young blood into the party apparatus.

At the party's general council meeting at Vanagaram on Sunday, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami directed office-bearers to strengthen the Youth Brigades (Ilaignar Pasaraigal) by enrolling more youngsters into it.

Besides, a separate sports wing will be created to encourage sports aspirants.

The Youth Brigades was launched by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in September 2008, when AIADMK was out of power, as part of its strategy to win the 2011 Assembly elections.

Those who were in the age group of 18-25 were allowed to become members in these brigades.

Reviving the Youth Brigades assumes significance as the party is leaving no stone unturned to win the next Assembly elections.

At the GC meeting, Palaniswami directed the office-bearers from district secretaries to village-level functionaries to enrol youth below the age of 30 in these brigades.

Palaniswami also announced that he would be undertaking a statewide tour from the last week of January to expose the DMK government and visit all 234 Assembly constituencies.

He also assured that, taking into consideration the expectations of party members, a mega alliance headed by AIADMK will be formed for the elections.

"You may think the general secretary gave the same assurance for the Lok Sabha elections and (that has not become true). But I say Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are entirely different in nature.