Chennai, March 15 The long-time ally, the Congress, may have posed the tough question of share in power and insisted on more seats to contest in the April 23 Assembly election, but DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin outmaneuvered the ruling party and finalized the seat-sharing agreement, ultimately averting a split in the Dravidian major-led Secular Progressive Alliance in the state.
This move also left the arch-rival AIADMK, which had been claiming a split in the DMK alliance before the Assembly polls, in a state of confusion. Besides successfully keeping the coalition intact, Stalin also welcomed former AIADMK leaders, including former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, into the DMK fold, seen as an effort to consolidate votes in parts of southern districts.
STRENGTHS:
1. Stalin (73) sustained political activism by claiming to implement a Dravidian model of governance – a brand he is positioning against the BJP-led government’s good governance – and positioned himself as a champion of social justice and a proponent of state autonomy.
2. The DMK's welfare initiatives, especially free bus travel for women and monthly allowances for women heads of families, are popular.
3. Effective campaigns against the opposition parties, accusing the BJP-AIADMK poll alliance of being a forced alliance.
4. The allies, including the Congress, MDMK, VCK, and the Left parties, have solidly backed the ruling dispensation and have remained united in taking on the AIADMK and the BJP.
5. Stalin dared to challenge the Central BJP government; he favored appointing Governors based on a suggestion by the state government and formed a panel under a retired judge of the Supreme Court on Union-State relations.
WEAKNESSES:
1. Opposition criticism of perpetuating dynastic rule.
2. Stalin's Deputy CM son Udayanidhi's controversial remarks often evoke spontaneous backlash from the BJP and the AIADMK.
3. Ministers involved in alleged cash-for-job scams and facing court cases and investigations by central agencies such as the ED.
OPPORTUNITIES:
1. The DMK's focus on attracting investments to industrialize Tamil Nadu and its promise of jobs for youth has the potential to attract young voters.
2. The party advocates for state autonomy and leverages on Tamil identity.
3. The unveiling of the 'Tamil Nadu Shipbuilding Policy 2026' to build a robust maritime ecosystem covering shipbuilding, ship repair, marine engineering and allied sectors, positioning Tamil Nadu as a leading hub in the global blue economy.
4. Support from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Part I of the High Level Committee on Union-State Relations constituted by the Tamil Nadu government.
5. Stalin targets BJP-ruled states, which he says are distracted by communal polarization, hate speech, and regressive politics. He insists that Tamil Nadu stands as a rational, inclusive, and development-driven state where social justice fuels growth, fraternity strengthens progress, and harmony powers prosperity.
THREATS:
1. Actor Vijay's foray into electoral politics poses a challenge to the DMK.
2. The unfulfilled promises of the DMK, such as scrapping NEET and petrol subsidy, remain a contentious issue.