M. K. Stalin

Stalin was born on 1 March 1953 to M. Karunanidhi and Dayalu. He grew up in a family closely associated with the Dravidian movement. His party biography records his participation in youth organisation and later detention under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency in 1976. The Tamil-language party history records his studies in history at Presidency College under the University of Madras.

Stalin first entered the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Thousand Lights in 1989. He later represented Kolathur. He became Chennai’s first directly elected mayor in 1996, and his municipal programme included work on roads, bridges, waste disposal and public facilities. After the DMK returned to state government in 2006, he became Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration, overseeing local-government and drinking-water responsibilities. On 29 May 2009 he was appointed Deputy Chief Minister.

Stalin became president of the DMK in 2018 following the death of M. Karunanidhi. His party biography describes his earlier work through the youth organisation and his later role in building electoral alliances. Before becoming Chief Minister, he also led the opposition in the state assembly after the 2016 election. The party continues to identify him as its president in its official leadership history.

Stalin took the oath as Chief Minister on 7 May 2021. His government’s programmes included the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme and Naan Mudhalvan. On 5 May 2026, the Governor accepted his resignation and asked him to continue until alternative arrangements were made. The Election Commission’s indexed result for Kolathur in 2026 records his defeat by V. S. Babu of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, ending his representation of that constituency.