Will unveil Dravidian model 2.0 after 2026 polls: CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Riding high on last year’s Parliamentary poll victory and this year’s legal breakthroughs against the BJP-led Union government, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday sounded the poll bugle in the House for the upcoming Assembly polls and said that the version 2.0 of his Dravidian model government was loading for 2026.

Stalin also said that his government performed exceedingly well by overcoming the obstacles imposed by a snake-like, virulent Union government, a fox-like, cunning Governor and a fund crunch.

Making the bold electoral prediction in his last full-budget reply of the incumbent in the State Assembly, Chief Minister Stalin proclaimed his regime as an “achievement government” and said, “Whatever witnessed so far is only the part-I of the Dravidian Model government. Version 2.0 is loading for 2026. Will create more records then. Tamil Nadu will create history.”

“Hail Tamil, victory for TN,” Stalin borrows Anna’s words

Wrapping up the reply for the debate on demand for grants for the Home portfolio under his control, Stalin made the parting words, “Hail Tamil, victory for Tamil Nadu”, borrowing from party founder C N Annadurai. “Though Tamil Nadu is a part of the world, we will never allow it to be made the hunting ground of anyone. We secured a historic verdict and followed it up by constituting a committee for state autonomy to achieve Anna’s dream. The journey is long. As I enter my fifth year as the Chief Minister, I would like to announce from the House with certainty that my journey will continue. It will continue for Tamil Nadu, Tamils and state rights.”

Listing out the pioneering schemes and growth indices that put the State on top at the national level, mainly 9.69% economic growth of TN in 2024-25, Stalin said, “Tamil Nadu is creating record after record. Such records (achievements) were not made possible easily.” Likening his government’s situation to a person trapped on all sides, the CM said, “Like a man facing a snake on top, foxes below, moat trench all around and a wall on the way, the Tamil Nadu government achieved overcoming the Union government, Governor and financial crunch.

“These are not the achievements of Stalin the individual. It is the output of the collective effort made by my cabinet and officers. I do not project myself in everything. This is not the government of one political party. It is a government of an ideology. So, I called it the Dravidian model government. According to me, ideology and the movement must take precedence,” Stalin said, leaving his party and alliance MLAs bedazzled with a highly political Assembly speech.

‘Beat AIADMK regime by a thousand miles’

Taking a veiled dig at the recently revived AIADMK-BJP alliance, the Chief Minister said, “We have achieved a thousand times more than the previous 10-year AIADMK regime in all departments.”

He added that, “With that resolve and the confidence in the people, I declare, Tamil Nadu can never be plundered by those trying to mortgage (read as surrender) and those trying to appropriate it.”

Stalin opened his reply in the House with a declaration that he was highly confident that the DMK would secure power for the record seventh time in the State, in the 2026 polls, through the schemes implemented and achievements demonstrated so far.