Stalin Vents Venom & Confidence In Equal Measure In The TN Assembly

It is not hard to decode the confident stance of Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin in the run up to state assembly elections. Surprisingly, he carefully moved away from the powerful shadow of his father M Karunanidhi to find his own space, emerging as a much talked about CM who could stand his ground. It was not surprising that he used his first Assembly address of 2026 to not just pat himself and his government on the back, but also list its achievements in the face of “daunting challenges”. Stalin was candid enough to admit “when he took over in 2021, there was much trepidation, self-doubt and a sense of fear …could I make TN happy, fulfil poll promises.” The self-congratulatory tone set in fast…“I am a happy man, very satisfied and can claim that we will form government 2.0 and even overtake our success.” This motivated chest thumping had its share of diatribes too…he blamed the previous 10 years of AIADMK rule for bringing down the state in every matrix of development. Stalin’s undiluted harangue and the way he took on the Governor RN Ravi and his running feud with him, added spice. For political watchers, it was an entertaining yet disturbing, unsettling phase when the Centre and State were at loggerheads. Federalism and democratic ecosystems bore the brunt of this clash. Stalin is no doubt a driven man, sure of his ability to pluck the low hanging fruit.