Opposition DMK in early February said the party signed up political strategist Prashant Kishor's Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) to help shape its campaign for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2021. A number of district secretaries have, however, expressed their discontent over their association with the committee due to the latter's apparent lack of efficiency and outdated political strategies. According to I-PAC's website, the group helps its partners "set a citizen-centric agenda" and "conceptualize and implement the most effective methods of taking it to the public and gathering mass support."

DMK functionaries and ground-level cadres of the party have indicated that they were unhappy with the way I-PAC seemingly tarnished the party's existing image with their vapid ideas. One such instance involved DMK cadres being made to stand outside the gates during the event which happened on Sunday at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam while the I-PAC team was at the doors in Black t-shirts, much to the displeasure of some party members. They apparently saw this as an attempt by the political action committee to build themselves in Tamil Nadu using DMK rather than working towards the party's growth. The committee has also disappointed cadres with its outdated strategies, including the time when I-PAC had come up with a concept called 'Chargesheet' which was already used by DMK in the 2018-19 campaign.

Speaking about DMK's pact with I-PAC earlier this year, a party functionary had reportedly informed a news agency, "It shows DMK leadership is moving away from cadre. Even after having such a big organisation, the party is seeking guidance from external organisations, which do not know anything about the political flavour of Tamil Nadu. This shows the inability of the party leadership to know the ground level details from party cadre." Despite their evident dissatisfaction, DMK will have to continue working with the committee as they are legally bound until the polls in 2021.