Measured in steps, Stalin completes a year in office

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Published : May 7, 2022, 10:25 PM IST

Measured in steps, Stalin completes a year in office

No major negative misstep or political bungling has aided the extension of the honeymoon period for the DMK government of MK Stalin in Tamil Nadu as he completes one year in office. Though a few of the major poll pledges, like Rs 1000 a month for homemakers, are yet to be implemented, popular support for the government and its credibility remains on a high, writes MC Rajan

Chennai: Taking the reins of the state in the midst of the Corona pandemic, Chief Minister MK Stalin had to confront a mammoth challenge last May. Having handled it with credit, the government has now completed a year in office transforming the administration as a responsive one, and creating a new narrative on Centre-State relations besides keeping afloat the hopes that the poll promises will be kept.

With the principal opposition AIADMK yet to recover from the successive electoral defeats and focused on setting its house in order, the DMK government had not encountered any real challenge thus far. Kept in good humour, the allies – Congress, Left, VCK of Thol Thirumavalavan, MDMK of Vaiko and others – too are not ready to rock the boat anytime in the near future. Moreover, Stalin has cultivated the image of a leader who is responsive and accommodative, reaching out to the marginalised.

Soon after taking power, Stalin changed the political diction by proclaiming him as one from the Dravidian Stock and bringing into currency the term 'Ondriya Arasu' in Tamil for the Union government instead of 'Central Government'. And this found wider acceptability in the state but for the BJP. This had helped create a counter narrative to the BJP's monolithic nationalism. Apart from rhetoric, in which the DMK excels, the new government had introduced new schemes with a focus on education, agriculture and social welfare among other things.

Of the new panels constituted by the government, apart from the committee on economic development in which Raghuram Rajan and Jean Dreze have been roped in, the one on Social Justice to monitor implementation of social justice criteria in education, employment and promotions and another for Dalits are significant. Further, Stalin has activated the State-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee on the implementation of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

“These are important in that they would help democratise society. Along with other bold initiatives, these steps indicate inclusive growth and ensuring human dignity,” explains Dr C Lakshmanan, teaching at Madras Institute of Development Studies. “Stalin is measured in his steps. Neither he is rushing nor he is in a hurry. He is consolidating the goodwill that the government has earned. So far the government had not gone astray and there is nothing for which the government could be put under scrutiny,” he maintained.

But, there are analysts who opine that the unpopularity of the BJP and the Modi government has helped the DMK to enjoy an extended honeymoon period. “The media in Tamil Nadu too is subscribing to the popular perception of the BJP and the Central government being anti-Tamil. The governor is seen as implementing the agenda of the Centre and undermining the interests of the state. While the DMK is basking in this, the party should be wary of throwing away the opposition space to the BJP. Rather than reacting to the BJP, Stalin should be dictating the agenda otherwise, the honeymoon period will not last long,” argues Dr R Thirunavukkarasu, teaching Sociology at University of Hyderabad.

“Despite the enjoying popular support, an important area where the government has to turn its attention is the judiciary” says senior journalist K Venkataramanan, citing many cases where the government had to cut a sorry figure in the High Court. “The Ayodhya Mandapam case is just an example where the government's legal team has filed,” he pointed out urging that any further complacency might rob the goodwill.

Also read: Dravidian model: Rhetoric and reality

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