Reaching the top, one step at a time -- Stalin style

Reaching the top, one step at a time -- Stalin style

MK Stalin has risen from a grassroots DMK worker to Chief Minister

Published: 07th May 2021 06:09 AM |

An artist readying name board identifying MK Stalin as Chief Minister, at Secretariat on Thursday | P Jawahar

By S Kumaresan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: MK Stalin, the DMK president, is taking the reins of the State as the Chief Minister with five decades of experience in politics and administration. He will be the oldest first-time Chief Minister to be sworn in at the age of 69 and only the third of DMK after CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi. Elected to the State Assembly for the seventh term, Stalin has served in various capacities, including as a minister, deputy chief minister and opposition leader in the Assembly, before.

Stalin was born to M Karunanidhi, a seasoned politician and a five-time Chief Minister of the State, on March 1, 1953. In 1967, at the age of just 14, he floated a DMK youth club, well before the party officially established a youth wing. Later, in the early 70s, he was appointed as in-charge of the party’s 75th ward unit in Chennai district. In 1972, he was elected as a general council member of the DMK at the age of 19 years and as an executive council member in 1979.

Meanwhile, in 1976, Stalin was arrested on February 2 under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and imprisoned at Chennai Central Prison for nearly a year till January 27,1977. Undeterred, he continued to engage in active politics. When DMK youth wing was established in Madurai on June 20, 1980, he was appointed as one of its seven organisers. In appreciation of his dedicated involvement for expanding the services of the youth wing, Stalin was appointed as State youth wing secretary of the party in 1983. The next year, as party youth wing cadres and leaders of the party supported, he was given a ticket to contest from Thousand Lights in Assembly general elections in which he lost.

Before Anna Arivalayam, DMK headquarters, was constructed, DMK had been functioning from Anbagam building at Teynampet. After the headquarters was moved to Anna Arivalayam in 1987, Stalin got the Anbagam for the youth wing by collecting donations from DMK cadre and youth wing members across the State. For the purpose, he had made an extensive tour across the State and met thousands of people beyond the party line, which helped him create an impression among the general public that he is a capable leader.

Given party ticket again to contest from Thousand Lights constituency in 1989, Stalin won the polls. DMK too won the Assembly general elections to form a government in the State after a gap of 13 years. His campaign for the polls was well attended by the party cadres as well as general public. He played a vital role in infusing fresh blood for the party by pulling in many youths in 1990s. Notwithstanding DMK losing the 1991 polls, he continued his extensive works for the party and maintained a connection with cadres through his frequent statewide tours.

Stalin also became the first Mayor of Chennai Corporation to be elected by voters. Though people voted out DMK in 2001, Stalin returned to the Assembly elected from Thousand Lights again. The same year, he was again elected as Mayor of Chennai Corporation, despite the Opposition’s all-out campaign against him. However, he had to resign from the post in 2002 after the AIADMK-led government at the time brought in TN Municipal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2002, which debarred him from serving as the Mayor and an MLA simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Stalin was appointed as deputy general secretary of the party on June 2, 2003. He was made Minister for Municipal Administration in 2006. During this tenure, he was instrumental in the extensive spread of Women Self Help Groups across the State by establishing 1,75,493 Women SHGs. He also established various comprehensive drinking water projects such as Hogenekal and Ramanathapuram water schemes.

In May 2009, just two years before DMK lost power in the State, Stalin was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. Before that, he had been made treasurer of the party on December 27, 2008, which he retained till January 3, 2017. Stalin was then elected as the working president of the party on January 4, 2017.

After the demise of former Chief Minister and DMK president Karunanidhi, MK Stalin was unanimously elected as the president of the party on August 28, 2019, by the general council of the party. Ever since, he has brought two major victories for the party, one of which is making DMK the third-largest party in the Parliament and other is leading the party to form its sixth government in the State.

Five decades in public life

March 1, 1953: Born to M Karunanidhi - Dayalu

1964: Established DMK youth club at Gopalapuram

1968: Made first public speech in a party meeting at Kodambakkam.

1972: Elected as party general council member

1979: Elected as party executive council member

1980: Established party youth wing and became one of the organisers

1983: Made youth wing state secretary of the party

1989, 1996, 2001 & 2006: Elected as MLA from Thousand Lights Assembly constituency

1996 & 2001: Elected as Mayor of Chennai Corporation

2003: Made party’s deputy general secretary

2008: Elected as party treasurer

2009: Appointed as Deputy Chief Minister

2011, 2016 & 2021: Elected as MLA from Kolathur Assembly constituency

2016- 2011: Served as Principal Opposition Party Leader

May 4, 2021: Elected as a Legislative Party Leader

Gave a push to Chennai infra as Mayor

During his tenure as Mayor of Chennai Corporation, MK Stalin took steps to decongest the city roads and constructed nine big bridges and 49 small ones in the city. He also improved the standard of Corporation Schools to be on par with private schools