STALIN'S LEGACY PUSH

The 71-year-old CM of Tamil Nadu is cranking up the government and party machinery to ensure that the DMK gets a second term in power

- Amarnath K. Menon

Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin wants to break a 50-year jinx of his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), of not winning two terms in a row. For the DMK chief, winning the polls-which are barely 18 months away-is crucial. At 71, he is still a first-time chief minister and is not getting any younger. Also, if he does it, it would be an achievement to equal his late father, the fivetime CM M. Karunanidhi, who managed it once. And then there's the small matter of family-Stalin needs to secure the position of his son Udhayanidhi, a first-time MLA who was elevated to the post of deputy CM in October.

The DMK chief has set an ambitious target for the party rank and file-winning 200 of the 234 seats in the legislative assembly (they now have 133 seats, with alliance partners 159). The work has already started; early in October, the DMK appointed external observers for all 234 constituencies. Party general secretary Duraimurugan says the observers, other than focusing on booth committees and booth level agents, will report to the top party leadership on constituency developments and also identify potential winning candidates.

As for its governance record, the Stalin government is adding more social sector programmes to improve the party's public persona. In 2026, the DMKled Secular Progressive Alliance-which includes the Congress and 12 other parties-will encounter anti-incumbency as well as the challenge by rival parties, including megastar Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which hopes to offer a younger, more vibrant alternative (see box The New Poll Star).

"The DMK government's performance has been average, but it has had some successful programmes and initiatives. There is no visible infighting within the party, but there will be realignments with Udhayanidhi's emergence," says political analyst Ramu Manivannan.