A year since the mantle of the DMK leadership fell on him after his father M. Karunanidhi’s death, M.K. Stalin has emerged as a strong regional leader with unwavering commitment to secularism and the rights of the States. He has stuck his neck out in taking on a powerful BJP while certain other leaders of regional parties have been wary of antagonising the Centre.
Even on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, he has taken a firm stand in opposing the Centre’s move to withdraw the special status accorded to it under Article 370 of the Constitution and to bifurcate the State into two Union Territories. He has, in fact, called for an all-party meeting in Chennai on Saturday to discuss the issue further.
By taking such a stand, Mr. Stalin has sent across the message that he will not deviate from the path laid by his father, who swore by State autonomy. Mr. Stalin made it clear that though his party had supported the government at the Centre during the Indo-Pakistan war, the Indo-China war and the Kargil intrusion, he had never favoured the idea of abrogating Article 370.
While he successfully led the DMK and its allies to a landslide victory in the parliamentary polls, he has been unable to dislodge the Edappadi K. Palaniswami government. The perception is that Mr. Stalin has not been able to turn the tide against the ruling AIADMK — something he did with aplomb when it came to creating an anti-BJP mood in Tamil Nadu by capitalising on the ground laid by fringe Tamil groups. He may perhaps have to do more homework in taking the government to the mat in the Assembly.
Leaders of the DMK’s allies, though, are all praise for his work. “He has played the role expected of him well. He succeeded in bringing together the secular parties, which paved the way for their victory in Tamil Nadu. Though other parties also have a role, Mr. Stalin’s part is very important,” acknowledged CPI(M) Polit Bureau member G. Ramakrishnan.
Though Mr. Stalin asserted his position in the party organisation even when Karunanidhi was alive and closed the door for other contenders (his elder brother M.K. Alagiri), his decision to appoint his son Udhayanidhi as the DMK youth wing secretary was an indication that his position in the party was now unassailable. In appointing his son to that position, he reversed his own formula that the close relatives of party leaders will not be accommodated as office-bearers of the youth wing.
“Mr. Stalin has exceeded my expectation as a performer. He follows a soft but firm approach and strategy. He has mastered the art of quelling dissent through mediation and diplomacy,” said historian K. Thirunavukkarasu.
