Political Communication of Dravidian Parties: A Study of AIADMK and DMK
Thiruppathi P and V Anil Kumar
Abstract
In Indian politics, political communication has shaped the rise and endurance of regional parties, especially the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu’s electoral politics. Dravidian politics’ communication is rooted with drama theatre and cinema to welfare manifestos and digital campaigns. The DMK and the AIADMK’s political culture has relied on a distinct communication language based on rationalist thought, Tamil identity, and populist welfare. This paper follows the archival materials, party manifestos, speeches and unstructured questioned interviews with journalists, academicians and party cadres. It traces how Dravidian parties used media tools and cultural symbols to mobilise voters and reinforce leadership charisma with emotions. The paper argues that regional political communication represents a hybrid model of ideological persuasion and emotional populism where symbol, welfare, and leadership rhetoric merge into a coherent campaign culture. By mapping the communication strategies of the DMK and the AIADMK across decades, this study contributes to understanding how regional political parties in India negotiate identity, media and governance through communicative performance.