M. K. Stalin has been around politics for most of his life, but his rise to the top has been slow and steady. There was no single breakthrough moment. Instead, it has been years of working within the system, building his own space inside the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
Born into the family of M. Karunanidhi, Stalin,70, could have taken a shorter route. But his career unfolded step by step. He began with the party’s youth wing, moved on to become Chennai’s mayor, then a minister and later Deputy Chief Minister. Each role added to his political grounding.
There were setbacks along the way. During the Emergency, Stalin was detained and spent more than a year in prison. That phase is often seen as shaping his political outlook and his approach to power.
He took over the DMK in 2018 after Karunanidhi’s death and faced the immediate task of holding the party together. Three years later, he led it back to power in 2021. “This is not just about power, it is about delivering governance people can see,” he said during that campaign.
As Chief Minister, Stalin has kept his focus on welfare delivery and administration, while also positioning Tamil Nadu as a strong regional voice. Ahead of 2026, he has framed the contest in simple terms: “This is about protecting Tamil Nadu’s rights and identity.”
Stalin today is not just continuing a legacy. He is trying to make it his own.
The Trinamool Congress is facing a massive internal rebellion, with senior leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claiming that nearly twenty party MPs are keen to join the NDA.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who held a massive rally in Tiruchirappalli on Monday, thanked the people for voting for him and his party and said he will carry forward Periyar, MGR's legacy.
The new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has initiated an outreach to opposition leaders on his first day in office, ahead of a floor test in the state assembly. The Chief Minister visited the residences of the former Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and other political rivals to exchange greetings. This gesture marks a departure from the traditional political rivalries in the state. Meanwhile, the assembly session witnessed a split within the AIADMK, with two separate factions arriving independently for the oath-taking ceremony. A majority of the party's legislators are reportedly backing a new legislative party head, demanding the current general secretary step down. In other news, the Prime Minister has urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption and avoid purchasing gold for a year to save foreign exchange amid the escalating war in West Asia. Additionally, suspense continues over the selection of the new Chief Minister in neighbouring Kerala.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains unresolved as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader Vijay struggles to reach the majority mark of 118 seats to form the government. Currently holding 116 signatures, the TVK requires the support of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which has two MLAs.
In Tamil Nadu, actor-politician Vijay’s TVK faces a political standoff as Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar demands proof of a 118-seat majority before government formation.
Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav met Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee at her Kalighat residence, days after TMC was routed in West Bengal assembly elections.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, DMK spokesperson Salem Dharanidharan discussed the political landscape in Tamil Nadu following actor Vijay's stunning electoral victory with his party, TVK and if this means the end of the road for Dravida parties.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has refused to accept the West Bengal assembly election results after the Bharatiya Janata Party secured two hundred and seven out of two hundred and ninety-four seats. I
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has lost his traditional Kolathur constituency to TVK candidate VS Babu, marking a setback for the DMK.
This broadcast analyses the Tamil Nadu and Kerala assembly election exit polls and decodes what to expect on the Verdict Day on May 4.
The Axis My India exit poll projected a massive victory for Tamil superstar Vijay's newly formed political party TVK in the just concluded Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
High political drama was witnessed in West Bengal as Trinamool Congress candidates protested outside strongrooms in Kolkata, alleging EVMs manipulation by the BJP and election officials.
Today's Chanakya exit poll has predicted a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party with 192 seats and a 48 percent vote share, leaving the Trinamool Congress with 100 seats.
Exit polls for the Tamil Nadu elections predict a significant shift in the state's political landscape. According to Today's Chanakya, the DMK alliance is projected to remain the single largest party, securing around 125 seats with a 39 percent vote share.
Ahead of the Tamil Nadu election results, TVK chief Vijay visited the Tiruchendur Murugan and Shirdi Saibaba temples.
Less than twenty-four hours to go for the ceasefire deadline between the United States and Iran to end, but uncertainty looms over the second round of talks in Islamabad.
In an interview with India Today, film director and critic K Hariharan discusses actor Vijay's entry into politics and upcoming Tamil Nadu elections. Hariharan states that Vijay cannot immediately replicate the political success of former Chief Minister MGR.
A political controversy has erupted over the proposed delimitation bill and its impact on parliamentary representation. Southern states, led by Tamil Nadu, expressed opposition ahead of a special parliament session, arguing that linking women's reservation to delimitation penalises regions that successfully controlled population growth.
Royapuram in Chennai is shaping up as a high-stakes electoral battleground, with AIADMK’s D Jayakumar relying on his personal connect and long-standing goodwill among voters. His campaign, marked by cultural symbolism and welfare promises such as free refrigerators, underscores his accessibility and grassroots rapport. The DMK, meanwhile, is pitching its governance record and welfare schemes under the “Stalin model,” while working to consolidate its strong minority vote base, particularly among Muslim voters. Its candidate, Subair Khan, is seeking to widen his appeal through symbolic outreach across communities. While Muslim men largely appear to favour the DMK, voting preferences among Muslim women remain less clear, potentially making them a decisive factor. Jayakumar faces the challenge of regaining minority trust after a shift towards the DMK in 2021, while the ruling party must contend with some anti-incumbency against its previous MLA.
The move has sparked significant outrage among political parties in southern states, particularly in Tamil Nadu. Regional leaders argue that the delimitation process unfairly penalises southern states for successfully controlling their population growth, while northern states stand to gain a substantial increase in parliamentary representation.
