Despite some wins, challenges before Stalin ahead of 2024

After being unanimously re-elected as president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for a second consecutive term, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said the people’s faith in him and the party had grown manifold. But his admission, rather swathed in a veiled warning, that the indiscretion and speeches by some of the DMK ministers and party leaders are giving him sleepless nights is nothing short of an eye-opener.

His predicament sums up the challenges confronting the party that faces a political test in the Lok Sabha polls in less than two years. When Stalin assumed charge as CM, a BJP leader famously said he was more dangerous than his father, M Karunanidhi. Stalin has undoubtedly lived up to that forewarning. He has been unrelenting in his fight against the BJP and right-wing forces. In his letter to 37 leaders of various
opposition parties a few months ago, Stalin said the right-wing forces can be fought only if all who believe in equality and social justice unite.

The virtual split and the ongoing tussle between EPS and OPS in the rival AIADMK camp gave Stalin some solace. But both have raised the bogey over his “inability” to implement DMK’s poll promises. Though the ruling party could fulfil some of them—such as a free bus ride scheme for women and a `1,000 incentive for girl students for college education, the government is facing headwinds in scrapping NEET. While fighting the idea of ‘Hindi, Hindu and Hindustan’, Stalin also has the unenviable task of getting the Centre’s financial support to fulfil his promises. Conversely, Governor R N Ravi constantly challenges DMK on Tamil culture, religion and identity. Nearly a dozen bills are pending with him for permission.

While the DMK as a party continues to remain true to its ideological moorings in fighting Hindutva, Hindi imposition, and supporting the state’s autonomy and federalism, it has to tread cautiously in taking these ideas to the people at large without getting hurt politically and administratively. It could be a trial by fire for the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as it seeks to fulfil its historic role as the arbiter of pluralist interest and federalism. Any political adversity for the party may change the nature of politics in Tamil Nadu.