2026 Assembly election is about protecting rights of Tamils, says Chief Minister M.K. Stalin

Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetram Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin said on Saturday that the upcoming Assembly election was not just a “political election” but an election for the Tamil race to safeguard itself.

At the Self-respect Movement Centenary Valedictory Conference in Maraimalai Nagar on the outskirts of Chennai, the Chief Minister told a crowd of Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and DMK cadre that the party, with the people’s support, had “rehabilitated Tamil Nadu” after it was ruined for 10 years by the AIADMK, which had no ideology.

“We are walking on an unprecedented path of development. Yet, the BJP, which is opposed to Dravidian ideals, and the AIADMK, led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who had said he ‘doesn’t even know what Dravidianism means’, are plotting again to seize power,” Mr. Stalin said.

“We must uproot and defeat this [National Democratic Alliance] coalition that seeks to destroy Tamil Nadu. Only our alliance has the ideological clarity, the fighting spirit, sense of unity, and policies,” he said.

Stating that the DMK was just an “extension of the Dravidar Kazhagam”, Mr. Stalin said: “A person who has inculcated rationalism and self-respect and wears a black shirt has the ability to lead an entire village.”

“Perarignar Anna said the DMK was founded, not against the DK, but to implement its ideals in politics. When Periyar was active, he was subjected to attacks by some who threw slippers, stones and even knives. Today, Periyar’s ideas are being hailed at the Oxford University. I was elated to unveil his picture at Oxford University,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the DMK would contribute to Periyar Ulagam, which was being built at Siruganur near Tiruchi. “How can the DMK not contribute to it? We are what we are because of Periyar and a month’s salary of the party’s 126 MLAs and 31 MPs will be contributed for the construction of Periyar Ulagam,” he said.

He highlighted a few initiatives of his Dravidian Model government that have moved Tamil society forward in thought. DK president K. Veeramani, and Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises T.M. Anbarasan were among those present.