The DMK alliance’s victory wasn’t a surprise to many. Although Edappadi K Palaniswami’s ratings as a chief were high, his party’s AIADMK’s apparent deference to BJP could have been one of the reasons for the loss of votes. Stalin has called the AIADMK government a slave to the BJP and alleged corruption during its tenure. On the other hand, AIADMK’s charges of nepotism within the DMK party was unheeded by the voters, what with Stalin’s son Udhyanidhi winning his electoral debut from Thousand Lights, Chennai, with a record margin.
At 68, Stalin, who has been waiting in the sidelines for the last several years, would the oldest first time CM of the State. Stalin is the second son of former DMK chief and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Stalin, who was born a few days after the death of Soviet communist Joseph Stalin, was named after him. Stalin was groomed from a young age to follow his father’s footsteps. After his father’s death, it came as no surprise when Stalin was elected unopposed as the DMK chief in August 2018, a post his father held for 49 years. This is the first Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu that is held in the absence of the state’s two towering leaders, who ruled Tamil Nadu for decades – M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa. This election was Stalin’s opportunity to step out of his father’s shadows and claim the title of ‘Thailavar’ as his party cadres call him. And step out, he did.
Meanwhile, the swearing in ceremony of the new government led by his party would be simple, keeping the Covid-19 pandemic in mind, said DMK president MK Stalin. He vowed to take immediate efforts to implement the party’s electoral promises in a phased way and also the DMK’s 10-year vision document.
