Chennai: Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin (M.K. Stalin) on Wednesday is celebrating his 70th birthday as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Son of towering DMK leader M. Karunanidhi Stalin had no easy rise, but had to go through the grind to reach the top of Tamil Nadu politics and assume the CM’s office.
Stalin born on this day in 1953 was named so as Karunanidhi was an ardent fan of the Russian revolutionary and political leader.
Stalin was initiated into the nitty-gritty of politics after he campaigned for the election of his uncle Murosali Maran in 1967 at the age of 14.
In 1968, Stalin formed the DMK Gopalapuram Youth Wing with his neighbourhood friends.
Stalin was jailed under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1976 and lodged in Chennai central prison when he was 23 years old. The arrest and jail term was for protesting against the Emergency that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had announced in the country. Stalin was beaten up in custody and another DMK prisoner, Chittibabu died while protecting him in the prison.
He became the youth wing secretary of the DMK in 1982 and held on to the post for four decades in a row.
Stalin, however, had a bitter electoral outing losing his maiden Assembly election at Thousand Lights to AIADMK, but later won from the same seat in 1989. However, in 1991 after the DMK government was dismissed and elections held, Stalin lost from the Thousand Lights constituency.
From 1996 onwards Stalin won continuously from Thousand Lights seat till 2006. In the 2011 Assembly elections, he shifted from Thousand Lights to Kolathur and has retained the seat since then.
In 1996 Stalin was the first directly elected Mayor of Chennai Corporation and he created the project, ‘Singarai Chennai’ which was a major hit.
He was nicknamed as ‘Managara Thanthai’ (Father of the City) for improving the infrastructure of the city. Stalin was instrumental in creating a modern Garbage disposal system for Chennai corporation during his tenure.
Stalin became a minister in 2006 in the government of his father, M. Karunanidhi and assumed office as the Minister for Rural Development and Local administration. He established the women self help groups in Tamil Nadu and created 1,75,493 Women SHGs.
He became the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 29, 2009 and was the first Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, DMK alliance, Secular Progressive Alliance wrested power winning 159 out of 234 seats in Tamil Nadu. Stalin took his oath of office as Chief Minister on May 7, 2021.
He constituted ‘Ungal Thoguthi Muthalamaichar’ (Chief Minister in your constituency), which is a grievance redressal service. The Makkal Thedi Maruthuvam scheme launched by the Stalin government on August 5, 2021 provides essential health services at the door steps of the people. He also formed the Illam Thedi Kalvi scheme on October 19, 2021. This is the country’s largest volunteer based education programme.
The Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme, which he launched on September 15, 2022 is to help prevent hunger and nutritional deficiency in children.
–IANS