Treading on dad’s path: Stalin on completing 4 yrs as DMK chief

CHENNAI: Entering his fifth year as the president of the ruling DMK, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday said that he is successfully treading on the path laid down by his late father and party chief M Karunanidhi.

Posting a message on his Twitter handle, Stalin, who paid floral tributes to the portrait of Karunanidhi at the latter’s Gopalapuram residence and also at Anna and Karunanidhi memorials on Marina Sunday morning, said, “Four years have ended since I occupied the DMK president post you had held. I am entering into the fifth year.”

தகைசால் தந்தையே!
தன்னிகரற்ற தலைவரே!
முதல்வர்களில் மூத்தவரே!
கலையுலக வேந்தரே!
எங்களின் உயிரே! உணர்வே!
தாங்கள் வகித்த தி.மு.க. தலைவர் பொறுப்பில் நான் அமர்ந்து நான்கு ஆண்டுகள் நிறைவடைந்து ஐந்தாவது ஆண்டில் அடியெடுத்து வைக்கிறேன். (1/2) pic.twitter.com/gllWGZerbQ

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 28, 2022

“Every step on my way, I am treading on the path laid down by you. I am abiding by your words. That is why I am winning. Wish me more for more victories,” Stalin tweeted, crediting the late Dravidian stalwart for his victories. Stalin also fondly recalled Karunanidhi’s contribution as an inspirational father, incomparable leader, oldest among the chief ministers and ruler of the world of art.

Elected unanimously as the DMK president on August 28, 2018 after his father’s demise on August 7, Stalin has secured successive electoral victories. Karunanidhi was the DMK president from 1969 till his demise in August 2018. After a landslide victory in the May 2019 Lok Sabha election and a decisive victory in the subsequent rural local body polls during the previous AIADMK regime, Stalin wrested control of the State Assembly by winning the April 2021 Assembly polls.