Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin has had a long political career, from starting
as a youth wing leader to becoming Chennai’s mayor, to being elected as the MLA
to becoming Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister. MK Stalin has donned several
roles, but has fallen short of reaching the CM’s seat.

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MK Stalin is the
successor of M Karunanidhi, a towering figure in Tamil Nadu politics, who was
DMK’s chief and had several stints as the CM.

Named after the late Russian dictator Joseph Stalin, the
DMK chief served as Chennai’s mayor from 1996 to 2002.

Stalin entered the
Tamil Nadu Assembly in his second attempt in 1989 and was elected from Thousand
Lights constituency. The DMK
government, however, was dismissed in 1990. He contested again from the same
seat but lost to AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa. Stalin was elected as the MLA from
Thousand Lights constituency in 1996.

In the 2006 Assembly
election, the DMK regained control of the house and Stalin was appointed as
a Minister in Karunanidhi’s cabinet. He was named the Deputy CM in 2009.

In October 2016,
Karunanidhi named his son as his political heir.

In 2011, Stalin changed
his constituency for the first time, from Thousand Lights to Kolathur. He won
the election from the seat, both in 2011 and 2016. The DMK, however, is in the
Opposition since 2011.

Stalin is contesting the
April 6 Assembly election from Kolathur. He is contesting against AIADMK’s
Adhirajaram.

Also read: 75% jobs for locals in Tamil Nadu, free tablets for students: DMK releases election manifesto

Votes will be counted on
May 2 and will decide if Stalin-led DMK will form Tamil Nadu’s next government
or will continue to sit in the Opposition.